Confirmed · Chatham and Medway · Landscape
Chatham Riverside
The midwives' cycle ride towards Nonnatus House in Call the Midwife. Open to visitors; allow 20 to 40 minutes.
- On screen as
- The midwives' cycle ride towards Nonnatus House
- Series and episodes
- Series 13 · Series 13, Episode 1
- Access
- Open to visitors
- Time needed
- 20 to 40 minutes
- Where
- Chatham, Kent
On screen
How Chatham Riverside appears
In the opening episode of series 13, a new group of pupil midwives arrives and is seen cycling through Poplar on the way to Nonnatus House. The Kent Film Office identifies Chatham's riverside as the place where those cycling shots were filmed. On screen the water and the period bicycles suggest the docks of the East End, with the story firmly set in Poplar; the real setting is the Medway waterfront in Kent, a short distance from the dockyard gates. Bicycles are the midwives' working transport throughout the series, so riverside riding scenes are a familiar part of the show, but this is the one where the location has been named.
The real place
What you can visit
Chatham's riverside is a free public path and green space along the River Medway, close to the town centre and the waterfront bus station, with old cannon, benches and views across to Strood and Rochester. It is a real town waterfront rather than a heritage set, so expect modern buildings behind you and occasional path works. The exact stretch used for the cycle shots has not been pinned to a single spot, so treat this as a walk along the riverside rather than a precise camera position. It works well as a breath of air before or after a day at the dockyard, or on the way into Rochester.
This is a shared path in a working town: give way to cyclists and keep dogs on a lead near the water's edge.
Kent Film Office: Call the Midwife series 1 to 15 ↗Chatham station is a short walk uphill from the waterfront, and many local buses stop at the waterfront bus station nearby. The main riverside paths are paved and level, though some sections have steps or narrow points. Paid town-centre car parks are close by. Cyclists use the paths too, so keep left and watch for bikes.
Common questions
Planning a responsible visit
Which episode shows Chatham Riverside?
The Kent Film Office names series 13, episode 1, when the new pupil midwives cycle through Poplar towards Nonnatus House.
Is the riverside part of the dockyard?
No. It is a free public space next to, but separate from, the ticketed dockyard, so you can walk it at any time.
Can I find the exact spot from the scene?
The filmed stretch is not pinned to one viewpoint, so walk the waterfront and look for the views of the river rather than a single marked spot.
Plan your visit
Build it into the day.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham's official location tour, then Rochester's castle and cathedral for general history.
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Map
Days out including this place
Continue with a prepared day out
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