I do enjoy a walk along the riverside and often you can find good subjects for some landscape photography and if you are lucky some wildlife too. Iv done a few rivers while living in east Sussex like Cuckmere and the Ouse. Wanting to explore more of Kent today I would head to the river Medway near west Farleigh.
River Medway walk from Teston Bridge
I arrived at the Teston country park in Kent just after 8am. It was open but google maps was reporting not open until 9AM. I was the first there and its a display and pay carpark but at the very reasonable price of £2 for all day. I hate paying by the hour, this ruins your walk as your always worried about getting back to the carpark on time.
![Teston Bridge Medway](https://i0.wp.com/suxxesphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/medway-kent-2018-05-28-004.jpg?resize=474%2C318&ssl=1)
It was going to be another bright hot humid day and lots of contrast. The walk starts at the medieval Teston bridge which I managed to get some photos of. Seems to be a good year for buttercups, but not noticing much in the way of butterflies or dragonflies, not yet.
![river medway](https://i0.wp.com/suxxesphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/medway-kent-2018-05-28-008.jpg?resize=474%2C316&ssl=1)
Certainly was a pleasant walk along the river medway heading in the direction of east Farleigh just west of Maidstone. On the bank of the medway the angles were difficult using a tripod so I decided to not use it and handhold my camera only. It was a very bright day and thought I did not really need to use a tripod. I set the aperture to f/8 and switched on image stabilisation. But back home I noticed a difference in image sharpness.
![kent oast houses](https://i0.wp.com/suxxesphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/medway-kent-2018-05-28-058.jpg?resize=474%2C324&ssl=1)
In future will stick with a tripod or maybe just my hand holding skills need improving. Certainly without a tripod you take a lot more photographs, I had over a 100 to post process back home and most were just mediocre. With a tripod you are alot more selective.
![canoes medway](https://i0.wp.com/suxxesphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/medway-kent-2018-05-28-067.jpg?resize=474%2C316&ssl=1)
Some come out well though handholding my camera, like these canoes coming down the river medway near Tutsham hall. Good walk along the river medway in Kent doing about 8 miles. A good thing is there are plenty of country pubs along the walk where due to the heat I stopped off in two.
![meadow horses kent](https://i0.wp.com/suxxesphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/medway-kent-2018-05-28-096.jpg?resize=474%2C316&ssl=1)
Back at the Teston country park and its after 2pm and its packed, lots of testosterone, shirts off, footballs, families picnics etc, not how I get my kicks. Cars are queuing to take my place and I like to take my boots off in a leisurely pace.
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