Strood
Strood is a town on the River Medway in the north of the English county of Kent. Together with its neighbouring towns of Rochester and Chatham it forms a large urban area known as the Medway Towns.
Get in
By car
- From London, take the A2 arterial road (32 miles, 51 km) or continue on to the M2 to Junction 2.
- From Canterbury, take the A2 and the M2 to Junction 2 for the Rochester exit (32 miles, 51 km, about 40 min).
Town Centre car parking
It is recommended that you park in Commercial Road car park (enter from Commercial Road) or Strood Retail Park car park (enter from Knight Road).
By train
- 🌍 Strood (SOO) Station, Canal Road, ME2 4DR (at the far end of Strood (near Rochester Bridge)). Trains are operated by SouthEastern From London Charing Cross (via Dartford) (typical journey time 65–70 minutes) and London Victoria (typical journey time 75–80 minutes). Trains from Ramsgate and Dover also serve Chatham and Rochester. The Javelin high speed service operates every 30 minutes from London St Pancras with a journey time of 30-35 minutes. There is a supplement for using this service unless travelling from outside of the London region.
Get around
By bus
Local buses are operated by Arriva Kent and Surrey, Nu-Venture and ASD Coaches
Buy your ticket from the driver when you board the bus (any operator), For Arriva services buy tickets on the Arriva App or pay contactless.
The Traveline and Medway Council websites provide journey planners and route maps.
By taxi
- Strood Cabs - +44 1634 710001
- Computer Cabs - +44 1634 666666
See
- 🌍 Temple Manor, Knight Road, ME2 2AH. Jul-Aug: Sa Su 10AM-4PM). Temple Manor is a historic building. It is a manor house of the Knights Templar, built in about 1240. Free.
- 🌍 Ranscombe Farm Nature Reserve (Ranscombe Farm), Sundridge Hill, Cuxton, Kent. Walk: 24 hr, 365 days, Car park varies. See:
April: Bluebell, Early purple orchid
May: Lady Orchid, Fly Orchid, Man Orchid
June: Meadow Clary, Hairy Mallow, Ground Pine, common milkwort
July: Corncockle, Clustered Bellflower, Four species of poppy (Common, Rough, Prickly and Long-headed) Free.
Do
- Medway Valley Park:
- 🌍 Diggerland, Medway Valley Leisure Park, Roman Way, ME2 2NU, ☏ +44 871 2277007, mail@diggerland.com. Open weekends Mar - Oct and daily during Jul, Aug and most school holidays 10AM - 5PM (4PM in winter). An assortment of rides based on construction equipment. The rides include sitting in the modified bucket of a digger and operating some of the diggers. General admission: adults to age 65 & children 100 cm or over £25.95 per person, age 65+ (ID required) £12.97 per person, children under 100 cm free, disabled visitor £25.95 per person, disabled carer free.
- 🌍 Hollywood Bowl Strood (Rochester), Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☏ +44 844 243 0077. M-Th 10AM-11PM, F 10AM-midnight, Sa 9AM-midnight, Su 9AM-11PM. Adults £7.30 per game, Under 16s £6.30 per game, families £25.84 per game.
- 🌍 Cineworld Strood (Rochester), Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☏ +44 330 333 4444. varies depending on film.
- 🌍 Buzz Bingo, Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, ME2 2NU, ☏ +44 1634 290799, medway.club@buzzbingo.com. M-Th 10AM-1AM, F Sa 10AM-2AM, Su 11AM-2AM.
Buy
The main shopping area is the High Street between Papa Johns (Gun Lane/Cuxton Road) and Rochester Bridge. This has a mixture of shops, There is also a Retail Park on Commercial Road.
Eat
Strood has a range of places to eat.
Strood & Strood town centre
- 🌍 The Three Crutches, Old Watling Street, ME2 3UG, ☏ +44 1634 763410. M-Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-10PM.
- 🌍 Morrisons Cafe, Knight Road, ME2 2BD. Cafe: M-Sa 8AM-5PM, Su 9:30AM-4PM; store: M-Sa 6AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Large supermarket with a cafe.
Medway Valley Park
- 🌍 Frankie & Benny's, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☏ +44 1634 712209, Rochester@frankieandbennys.co.uk. M-Th noon-10PM, F Sa noon-11:00 PM, Sa 8AM-11PM, Su noon-10PM,. American themed chain restaurant.
- 🌍 Waters Edge, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☏ +44 1634 719306. Opening hours: M-Su 11AM-11PM, Serving hours: M-Su 11AM-9PM.
Drink
- 🌍 The Coach & Horses, 40 London Road, ME2 3PA, ☏ +44 7487 827694, manager.thecoachandhorses@outlook.com.
Sleep
- 🌍 Premier Inn Strood, Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS. Rooms from £43 per night.