Riverside Country Park
Gillingham, North Kent
Photo: Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0Riverside Country Park is a 100-hectare Green Flag park on the Medway estuary at Rainham, with mudflats, saltmarsh, ponds and reedbeds. Walk or cycle the trails, watch the estuary birds and let children loose in the playground before a stop at the café. It works well for families and takes a couple of hours.
Highlights
- Walking and cycling trails with estuary views
- Excellent birdwatching over mudflats and saltmarsh
- Children's playground with toddler swings and a balance trail
- Visitor centre and café
- Bee garden and bug hotel
Good to know
- A Sustrans cycle path runs through the park
- Rangers run educational visits for schools
- A Medway country parks season ticket costs £75
Getting there
Riverside Country Park, 333 Lower Rainham Road, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 2XHParking: Main, overflow and Sharps Green car parks. 6ft 6in height barrier at the main entrance; call ahead for taller vehicles.
Get directionsChecked on 15 October 2026 against medway.gov.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
Nearby
Photo: Sunolafjagtenben-hur, CC0The Strand Lido and Leisure Park
The Strand is a riverside leisure park in Gillingham built around a historic open-air lido, opened in 1896 and the only remaining riverside tidal saltwater pool in the country. Alongside the summer lido there is a free splash pad, play parks, a miniature railway, a café, tennis courts and riverside walks. It suits families on a warm summer day and can easily fill half a day.
Image: Kent Wildlife TrustDarland Banks
Darland Banks is a 45 hectare Kent Wildlife Trust reserve of restored chalk grassland with panoramic views across the Medway towns. Walk the slopes to spot rare butterflies, moths and one of the country's largest populations of man orchids, alongside wartime relics. Allow an hour or two and wear sturdy shoes.
Photo: Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0Capstone Farm Country Park
Capstone Farm Country Park covers over 114 hectares of woodland, old orchards, meadows and a lake on the edge of Chatham and Gillingham. Families can try the two play areas and trim trail, follow waymarked walks or cycle routes, and stop at the lakeside cafe. Allow a few hours, or longer if you are bringing bikes.