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Riverside Country Park
Riverside
Country Park covers 100 hectares alongside the Medway Estuary,
including Motney Hill and Berengrave Local Nature Reserve. There
are various habitats within the park, including mudflats and salt
marsh, ponds and reed-beds, grassland and scrub, which provide a
haven for wildlife.
The estuary has special protection as part of the Medway Marshes
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is internationally
important for wintering birds that thrive on the invertebrate-rich
mudflats. The salt marshes have a specialised ecology and act as
high tide roost sites.
Riverside has several ponds at Sharps Green and Berengrave.
These are cleared of vegetation to maintain open water.
The reed beds at Motney Hill are one of only 92 such sites which
exceed two hectares in the UK. Management involves cutting a small
area each year, which promotes dense growth and halts the natural
progression of the reeds. The Motney Hill marshes RSPB reserve is
viewable from the Motney Hill sea wall.
Grassland at Eastcourt Meadows and Rainham Dock East is mown in
early autumn to encourage wildflowers and insects. Although the
scrub is controlled, it forms an important part of this habitat,
providing cover for small animals, nesting sites for birds and
complete ecosystems for insects.
Park opening
times vary on seasons and sunrise/set times.
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A map of the park. Select this
image
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Facilities at the park:
- an accessible visitor centre with toilets;
- an events
programme for adults and children;
- an education room;
- a café;
- a children’s play area;
- picnic facilities;
- Ranger
service;
- Sustrans cycle path;
- trails;
- car and coach parking.
What's on outdoors
Visit What's On to find out about
Riverside Country Park events.
Green Flag Award
Riverside Country Park has received a Green Flag Award, the
national standard for quality parks and green spaces. Winners are
judged to be welcoming and well-maintained, with the support and
involvement of the local community.
Big Lottery funding
The Big Lottery Fund has
provided funding to develop a naturalised play area. This space
was designed to create a multi-sensory play facility for use
by all children, including those with disabilities.
Consultation on the project began in November 2008 and work
was completed as expected by the end of November 2009 but due to a
wet autumn and winter, the facility was finally opened on 1
April 2010.
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