This guide covers the three green spaces InKent lists for Rainham: a large country park on the Medway Estuary, a former chalk pit that is now a nature reserve, and a local park with a skate park and play area. All three are outdoors, and Medway Council publishes the practical detail for each, so check it before you set out. The cards below link to each place’s InKent page.
Riverside Country Park
Riverside Country Park is a 100-hectare Green Flag coastal park beside the Medway Estuary at 333 Lower Rainham Road. It has walking and cycling trails, including a Sustrans cycle path, and mudflats, salt marsh, reed beds and ponds for birdwatching. There is a children’s playground, a visitor centre and a cafe. The park also has entrances at Bloors Wharf and Motney Hill Reserve. Medway Council says there is disabled access throughout the site.
- Cost: no entry charge is listed, but car parking is £3.50 a day for cars. Blue Badge holders park free.
- Opening: the park opens daily at 8am and closes at 5pm from November to February, 6pm in March and October, and later in summer. The visitor centre is listed as 9am to 3.45pm, and the cafe and toilets as 10am to 4pm.
- Height barrier: the main entrance has a 6ft 6in barrier. Call 01634 337432 to have it opened.
- Suits: families, walkers, cyclists and anyone interested in birdwatching on the estuary.
In winter the park closes at 5pm, so the daylight and the cafe hours are the things to plan around. Check Medway Council’s Riverside Country Park page for the current times before you go.
Berengrave Local Nature Reserve
Berengrave Local Nature Reserve is on Berengrave Lane and covers 12.77 hectares. It is a former chalk pit that was once quarried for cement, and it now has wooded and pond areas that support reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals. Medway Council has added waymarkers, seating, viewing points and information panels. Paths run from Lower Rainham Road to the washmill, Greensleeves Road and the pond. The lower paths can flood, and at times of flooding you cannot get beyond the pond on the lower section.
- Opening: no opening hours are published, and access to the lower paths is seasonal because of flooding.
- Cost: no charge or price is published on the council’s pages, so check before you go.
- Suits: walkers interested in wildlife.
Cozenton Park
Cozenton Park is a large public open space on Bloors Lane with four entrances: Bloors Lane, Cranford Close, High Elms and Birling Avenue. It has a children’s play area, football pitches and a skate park. A community tree nursery and garden, run with the Friends of Cozenton Park, is open on Thursdays from 10am to 2pm. Medway Council plans new play equipment for 2027 and has consulted on upgrading the skate park, so what is on site may change. The council lists disabled access, and there is no parking at the park.
- Cost: no charge is listed.
- Opening: no park hours are published. The tree nursery is open every Thursday from 10am to 2pm.
- Suits: families, skaters and football players.
Planning a visit
If you want a full outing, Riverside Country Park is the one to build the day around, because it has a visitor centre, a cafe, a playground and trails in one place. Berengrave and Cozenton Park are shorter local visits. Medway Council’s Rainham Reimagined plan names three proposed projects, one of which is Three Trails, a set of walking routes. These are proposals, so check the council’s Rainham Reimagined page for what is under way.
Getting there
Rainham station is on Station Road and is served by Southeastern and Thameslink. Check Southeastern’s journey planner for current routes, times and fares. Medway Council’s Station Road car park in Rainham takes cash, contactless or RingGo, according to the council’s directory, and its Find a car park directory has a Rainham section. Cozenton Park has no parking of its own, and Riverside Country Park charges for parking.
Frequently asked questions
Is Riverside Country Park free?
Medway Council lists no entry charge, but car parking is charged at £3.50 a day for cars, and Blue Badge holders park free. The main entrance has a 6ft 6in height barrier, and you can call 01634 337432 to have it opened.
Can I get to Berengrave when it has been raining?
Not always. Medway Council says the lower paths can flood, and at times of flooding you cannot get beyond the pond on the lower section.
Is there a cafe at Riverside Country Park?
Yes. The cafe and toilets are listed as open from 10am to 4pm, and the visitor centre from 9am to 3.45pm. Check the council’s page before you travel, as times can change.