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The Pull of the River: Tales of Escape and Adventure on Britain's Waterways
Tales of escape and adventure on Britain’s waterways
In The Pull of the River two foolhardy explorers do what we would all love to do: they turn their world upside down and seek adventure on their very own doorstep.
In a handsome, homemade canoe, painted a joyous nautical red the colour of Mae West’s lips, Matt and his friend James delve into a watery landscape that invites us to see the world through new eyes.
Over chalk, gravel, clay and mud; through fields, woodland, villages, towns and cities, they reveal many places that otherwise go unnoticed and perhaps unloved, finding delight in the Waveney, Stour, Alde/Ore, upper and lower Thames, Lark, Great Ouse, Granta and Cam, Wye, Otter, Colne, Severn and the Great Glen Trail.
Showing that it is still possible to get lost while knowing exactly where you are, The Pull of the River is a beautifully written exploration of nature, place and friendship, and an ode to the great art – and joy – of adventure.
“Engaging and beautifully written ... Gaw’s nature writing scintillates” – The Countryman
“It’s just glorious … a marvellous book … it really put me in a good mood” – Georgey Spanswick, BBC Radio
“Beautifully written and highly engaging … it cries out with a message from its pages – a message that life is an adventure and, if you have the physical capacity to do so, it’s best spent out of that armchair – outdoors, active and immersed in nature” – East Anglian Daily Times
“Just started this and already have a hankering for a canoe and a long weekend on the river…" – EspressoCoco book blog
“Seen from the water, Britain's familiar landscapes are made mesmerisingly new. The Pull of the River is a hugely satisfying work of exploration and reclamation, and one that will have you itching to cast off on your own riparian adventure” – Melissa Harrison, author of Rain: Four Walks in English Weather
“Following in the long and distinguished tradition of The Wind in the Willows and Three Men in a Boat, Matt Gaw spends his time ‘messing about in boats’. In doing so, he entertains not only himself but us, in this delightful account of exploring the wonder of our waterways” -- Stephen Moss, author and naturalist
“A Lark for the soul” – Paul Evans, author of Field Notes from the Edge
“Gaw is an excellent writer … [his] spirited book will encourage others to seek out such waterways, and to appreciate the importance of conserving them” – Nancy Campbell, Times Literary Supplement
“A joyful and beautifully written account … if it doesn’t make you want to pick up a paddle and head to your nearest river, you’re reading it wrong” – Waterways World magazine
“A really enjoyable book, written with humour, a wry wit and a keen eye … his research of the rivers uncovers those nuggets of information of the historical and cultural terrain that overlays the rivers and that makes this a much richer read as they paddle along. I also found it refreshing as Gaw brings no personal baggage to his watery voyages; it is just him and his friend taking the time to immerse themselves in the natural world, sleeping out under the stars and rediscovering a place where time moves at a very different rate to modern life; a world that few people see now days” – Half Man, Half Book
“Jolly yet reflective … I’m rooting for this to make next year’s Wainwright Prize Longlist” – BookishBeck
“Rather wonderful … An engaging travelogue of taking the slow route across England’s inland waterways in a Canadian canoe belonging to an old friend” - Gather Outdoors blog for Adventurous Ink
In The Pull of the River two foolhardy explorers do what we would all love to do: they turn their world upside down and seek adventure on their very own doorstep.
In a handsome, homemade canoe, painted a joyous nautical red the colour of Mae West’s lips, Matt and his friend James delve into a watery landscape that invites us to see the world through new eyes.
Over chalk, gravel, clay and mud; through fields, woodland, villages, towns and cities, they reveal many places that otherwise go unnoticed and perhaps unloved, finding delight in the Waveney, Stour, Alde/Ore, upper and lower Thames, Lark, Great Ouse, Granta and Cam, Wye, Otter, Colne, Severn and the Great Glen Trail.
Showing that it is still possible to get lost while knowing exactly where you are, The Pull of the River is a beautifully written exploration of nature, place and friendship, and an ode to the great art – and joy – of adventure.
“Engaging and beautifully written ... Gaw’s nature writing scintillates” – The Countryman
“It’s just glorious … a marvellous book … it really put me in a good mood” – Georgey Spanswick, BBC Radio
“Beautifully written and highly engaging … it cries out with a message from its pages – a message that life is an adventure and, if you have the physical capacity to do so, it’s best spent out of that armchair – outdoors, active and immersed in nature” – East Anglian Daily Times
“Just started this and already have a hankering for a canoe and a long weekend on the river…" – EspressoCoco book blog
“Seen from the water, Britain's familiar landscapes are made mesmerisingly new. The Pull of the River is a hugely satisfying work of exploration and reclamation, and one that will have you itching to cast off on your own riparian adventure” – Melissa Harrison, author of Rain: Four Walks in English Weather
“Following in the long and distinguished tradition of The Wind in the Willows and Three Men in a Boat, Matt Gaw spends his time ‘messing about in boats’. In doing so, he entertains not only himself but us, in this delightful account of exploring the wonder of our waterways” -- Stephen Moss, author and naturalist
“A Lark for the soul” – Paul Evans, author of Field Notes from the Edge
“Gaw is an excellent writer … [his] spirited book will encourage others to seek out such waterways, and to appreciate the importance of conserving them” – Nancy Campbell, Times Literary Supplement
“A joyful and beautifully written account … if it doesn’t make you want to pick up a paddle and head to your nearest river, you’re reading it wrong” – Waterways World magazine
“A really enjoyable book, written with humour, a wry wit and a keen eye … his research of the rivers uncovers those nuggets of information of the historical and cultural terrain that overlays the rivers and that makes this a much richer read as they paddle along. I also found it refreshing as Gaw brings no personal baggage to his watery voyages; it is just him and his friend taking the time to immerse themselves in the natural world, sleeping out under the stars and rediscovering a place where time moves at a very different rate to modern life; a world that few people see now days” – Half Man, Half Book
“Jolly yet reflective … I’m rooting for this to make next year’s Wainwright Prize Longlist” – BookishBeck
“Rather wonderful … An engaging travelogue of taking the slow route across England’s inland waterways in a Canadian canoe belonging to an old friend” - Gather Outdoors blog for Adventurous Ink
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2018
19 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Matt Gaw
6 books17 followersMatt Gaw is a writer, journalist and naturalist who lives in Bury St Edmunds. His work has been published in the Guardian, the Telegraph and the Times. He works with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, edits Suffolk Wildlife, currently writes a monthly country diary for the Suffolk Magazine and is a director of the Suffolk Festival of Ideas. This is his first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 2, 2018
People have their lives filled with constant interruptions and phones demanding attention constantly, tearing from one place to another, we rarely take the time we need for ourselves. Mat Gaw decides that is time to discover another speed to his life and with his friend, James, seek the tranquillity of his local river in their homemade nautical red canoe, Pipe, the colour of Mae West’s lips supposedly…
People have been drawn to rivers for millennia, not only do they hold an essential element to life, they have always had a spiritual dimension too and often now are used for all sorts of leisure activities. Travelling in a canoe on a river or canal is a silent way of moving through the town and countryside and offers a startling new perspective of the places that they thought they knew well. From their local rivers, they head to Britain's longest and best-known ones, The Thames and the Severn, further afield to the south-west on the River Otter and across Scotland's great glen.
They get wet as you'd expect after falling in several times, get stuck in the mud, beached, bitten alive by midges, failing to see Nessie, brushing through the branches of willows, racing the rapids and have a couple of very scary moments. Sometimes they make time to talk when paddling, at other times the only sound they make is the gentle splash of the paddles as they sit in silence discovering just how much wildlife is there when you sit quietly and wait for it.
It was a really enjoyable book, written with humour, a wry wit and a keen eye as he describes the land and waterscapes that they pass The context of the book is wider than that though, his research of the rivers uncovers those nuggets of information of the historical and cultural terrain that overlays the rivers and that makes this a much richer read as they paddle along. I also found it refreshing as Gaw brings no personal baggage to his watery voyages; it is just him and his friend taking the time to immerse themselves in the natural world, sleeping out under the stars and rediscovering a place where time moves at a very different rate to modern life; a world that few people see now days.
People have been drawn to rivers for millennia, not only do they hold an essential element to life, they have always had a spiritual dimension too and often now are used for all sorts of leisure activities. Travelling in a canoe on a river or canal is a silent way of moving through the town and countryside and offers a startling new perspective of the places that they thought they knew well. From their local rivers, they head to Britain's longest and best-known ones, The Thames and the Severn, further afield to the south-west on the River Otter and across Scotland's great glen.
They get wet as you'd expect after falling in several times, get stuck in the mud, beached, bitten alive by midges, failing to see Nessie, brushing through the branches of willows, racing the rapids and have a couple of very scary moments. Sometimes they make time to talk when paddling, at other times the only sound they make is the gentle splash of the paddles as they sit in silence discovering just how much wildlife is there when you sit quietly and wait for it.
It was a really enjoyable book, written with humour, a wry wit and a keen eye as he describes the land and waterscapes that they pass The context of the book is wider than that though, his research of the rivers uncovers those nuggets of information of the historical and cultural terrain that overlays the rivers and that makes this a much richer read as they paddle along. I also found it refreshing as Gaw brings no personal baggage to his watery voyages; it is just him and his friend taking the time to immerse themselves in the natural world, sleeping out under the stars and rediscovering a place where time moves at a very different rate to modern life; a world that few people see now days.
March 19, 2025
Original review:
Well as we enter lockdown number 3 😫😫😫😫🤪🤪🤪🤪, books like this I find are keeping me sane (along with crochet, knitting and cross stitch)!
This offering by Matt Gaw is very well written and beautifully descriptive, not only of nature and wildlife but of his friendship with James, his mate who created their funky red canoe!
Some favourite chapters of mine include the one on The River Wye and the chapter where he encounters wild beavers; pure magical moments of nature.
If you like reading about nature, rivers, wildlife and camping under the stars, then this is the book for you.
March 2025 re-read:
So this gem from my water themed bookshelf remains a truly pleasurable read. Matt Gaw is a superb writer with a real eye for nature and the skill of a poet in its mesmerising description. I have now added this book to my favourites bookshelf too. One thing that was upsetting in the re-read is how much the river Wye has deteriorated since the writing of this book. Back in 2018 it was swimmable, full of life and full of wild nature species; now we are fighting a legal battle with mega- chicken farms, industry and irresponsible water companies who have decimated the river to a choked, sludge-filled, dying stagnancy. What a bloody shame.
Well as we enter lockdown number 3 😫😫😫😫🤪🤪🤪🤪, books like this I find are keeping me sane (along with crochet, knitting and cross stitch)!
This offering by Matt Gaw is very well written and beautifully descriptive, not only of nature and wildlife but of his friendship with James, his mate who created their funky red canoe!
Some favourite chapters of mine include the one on The River Wye and the chapter where he encounters wild beavers; pure magical moments of nature.
If you like reading about nature, rivers, wildlife and camping under the stars, then this is the book for you.
March 2025 re-read:
So this gem from my water themed bookshelf remains a truly pleasurable read. Matt Gaw is a superb writer with a real eye for nature and the skill of a poet in its mesmerising description. I have now added this book to my favourites bookshelf too. One thing that was upsetting in the re-read is how much the river Wye has deteriorated since the writing of this book. Back in 2018 it was swimmable, full of life and full of wild nature species; now we are fighting a legal battle with mega- chicken farms, industry and irresponsible water companies who have decimated the river to a choked, sludge-filled, dying stagnancy. What a bloody shame.
April 5, 2025
What a fantastic read this was. Matt Gaw has a way of telling his story that is very poetic and in-depth, regarding their travels along the rivers and canal ways.
I have to say that I have had my eyes opened to some of the information he shared here. This was a fantastic learning experience regarding the areas he was in and the wildlife.
The whole story is written so well that you can almost feel yourself there taking part.
Small trials and tribulations, a wealth of local knowledge, a look back at the canals and rivers form the past to present. What more can one book need.
I have to say that I have had my eyes opened to some of the information he shared here. This was a fantastic learning experience regarding the areas he was in and the wildlife.
The whole story is written so well that you can almost feel yourself there taking part.
Small trials and tribulations, a wealth of local knowledge, a look back at the canals and rivers form the past to present. What more can one book need.
August 8, 2018
A watery travelogue in the same vein as works by Roger Deakin and Alys Fowler, this jolly yet reflective book traces Gaw’s canoe trips down Britain’s rivers. His vessel was “the Pipe,” a red canoe built by his friend James Treadaway, who also served as his companion for many of these jaunts. Starting with his local river, the Waveney in East Anglia, and finishing with Scotland’s Great Glen Way, the quest was a way of (re)discovering his country by sensing the currents of history and escaping to the edge of danger.
Access issues, outdoor toileting, getting stuck on mudflats, and going under in the winter – it wasn’t always the most comfortable method of traveling. But Gaw’s expressive writing renders even the most rubbish- and sewage-strewn landscapes beautiful in their own way: “grim bunting made from discarded bags of dog poo,” “a savannah of quivering, moussey mud” and “cormorants hunched together like sinister penguins, some holding ragged wings to the wind in taxidermic poses.” My favorite chapters were about pollution and invasive species, as seen at the Lark, and about the beaver reintroduction project in Devon.
I could easily see this making the Wainwright Prize longlist next year.
Access issues, outdoor toileting, getting stuck on mudflats, and going under in the winter – it wasn’t always the most comfortable method of traveling. But Gaw’s expressive writing renders even the most rubbish- and sewage-strewn landscapes beautiful in their own way: “grim bunting made from discarded bags of dog poo,” “a savannah of quivering, moussey mud” and “cormorants hunched together like sinister penguins, some holding ragged wings to the wind in taxidermic poses.” My favorite chapters were about pollution and invasive species, as seen at the Lark, and about the beaver reintroduction project in Devon.
I could easily see this making the Wainwright Prize longlist next year.
October 21, 2024
The travels round the UK with my canoe/bike/bus pass/canal boat genre is becoming somewhat over crowded and I'm not sure that this has any real stand out USP. Readable in the main, but I skim read here and there which isn't a great sign. Perhaps a sign of the times, but would this have made a decent blog or podcast rather than a full fledged book - probably yes!
February 16, 2021
Travelogue set along the rivers of BRITAIN
Do you need a new read that will engage you and transport you around beautiful locations across Britain? Something with a peaceful rhythm, as the oars gently slice through the water? Relax and enjoy The Pull of the River and transcend the current anxiety-inducing issues surrounding the Covid pandemic. But is it bucolic Britain all the way?
“Part of the pull of the river is escape. To paddle on a river is to break into a new world, one that feels free from the usual rules and confines of human society”
He chooses to set off in a Canadian Canoe (painted a joyous nautical red, the colour of Mae West’s lips) with companion James Treadaway. The starting point is the River Waveney and as an introduction they have to negotiate getting the canoe into the water, cleaving their way between discarded plastic and dog poo bags; of course, this is not going to be the only encounter with detritus along the way. Plus a discombobulating meeting with an extremely grumpy and negative woman. But these are men with determined hearts who will not be put off by such early obstacles.
“Neglect threatens rivers across Britain, discarded items, particularly plastic, becoming a regular, if unwelcome part of the scenery and posing a serious threat to the rivers’ wildlife”
He muses on the nature of water, the different feel that each stretch of their journey has and the changes that occur. He observes the wildlife and the wider landscape, ponders the “no trespassing’ notices and thinks about conservation and history, facts and figures. Of an evening they set up camp but it is Britain, and therefore their sleeping bags are damp and it can get quite (well, very) cold; it’s Winter after all. The intrepid paddlers are not daunted.
The River Orwell gives them a wake up call that their adventures have their dangers, as waters swell and the winds buffet their comparatively tiny boat
After reading this you will hanker for your own boat and a slice of gentle (for the most part) river life! The author has a lyrical and beautiful writing style that captures the countryside and their exploits as they glide along. It is a charming travelogue. I would love to have had a map so I could chart their routes.
Do you need a new read that will engage you and transport you around beautiful locations across Britain? Something with a peaceful rhythm, as the oars gently slice through the water? Relax and enjoy The Pull of the River and transcend the current anxiety-inducing issues surrounding the Covid pandemic. But is it bucolic Britain all the way?
“Part of the pull of the river is escape. To paddle on a river is to break into a new world, one that feels free from the usual rules and confines of human society”
He chooses to set off in a Canadian Canoe (painted a joyous nautical red, the colour of Mae West’s lips) with companion James Treadaway. The starting point is the River Waveney and as an introduction they have to negotiate getting the canoe into the water, cleaving their way between discarded plastic and dog poo bags; of course, this is not going to be the only encounter with detritus along the way. Plus a discombobulating meeting with an extremely grumpy and negative woman. But these are men with determined hearts who will not be put off by such early obstacles.
“Neglect threatens rivers across Britain, discarded items, particularly plastic, becoming a regular, if unwelcome part of the scenery and posing a serious threat to the rivers’ wildlife”
He muses on the nature of water, the different feel that each stretch of their journey has and the changes that occur. He observes the wildlife and the wider landscape, ponders the “no trespassing’ notices and thinks about conservation and history, facts and figures. Of an evening they set up camp but it is Britain, and therefore their sleeping bags are damp and it can get quite (well, very) cold; it’s Winter after all. The intrepid paddlers are not daunted.
The River Orwell gives them a wake up call that their adventures have their dangers, as waters swell and the winds buffet their comparatively tiny boat
After reading this you will hanker for your own boat and a slice of gentle (for the most part) river life! The author has a lyrical and beautiful writing style that captures the countryside and their exploits as they glide along. It is a charming travelogue. I would love to have had a map so I could chart their routes.
May 21, 2024
Hmm this was apparently his first book so maybe I shouldn’t be too hard but it was just a little dull. I loved his book about night walking so had high hopes for this one. I would recommend giving this one a miss.
October 18, 2020
It was quite funny how many of the rivers Matt explored were ones we have a personal connection to. There are some lovely passages of nature writing and, of course, the very premise is something you can't help but find exciting. He is also very adept at writing facts into narrative and I learnt quite a lot. It was, however, a little frustrating to read about people doing things in rather a dangerous fashion, particularly when that seemed to be part of a masculinity quest. Perhaps I'm being a little over-sensitive, but we'd already sent a copy to our teenage nephew who's getting into kayaking. I also have a real problem with people who visit a place and complain about tourists when *they are clearly also tourists*. I enjoyed the tour, though, and am rather jealous of it all. What a wonderful project to have achieved!
May 20, 2018
Eloquent and poetic, this travelogue is the sort of thing I read and makes me think, gosh I'd like to do something like that! And then of course I don't, which is somewhat disheartening.
Also disheartening, the accounts of human pollution (sadly expected) and human barriers and conflicts between canoeists and anglers (rather less so, naively perhaps).
But as a celebration of experiencing the familiar in a new way, of the beauty and variety of our countryside, it's all really rather lovely.
Also disheartening, the accounts of human pollution (sadly expected) and human barriers and conflicts between canoeists and anglers (rather less so, naively perhaps).
But as a celebration of experiencing the familiar in a new way, of the beauty and variety of our countryside, it's all really rather lovely.
August 16, 2019
Such a lyrical book, I know I will read it again and again.
April 10, 2019
What an absolute gem The Pull of the River by Matt Gaw (Elliott & Thompson) really is. Imagine two friends deciding to paddle their way through the waterways of the heart of Britain. This is exactly what they both do. Not only that but they build the canoe themselves.
The red canoe is christened ‘Pipe’ for reasons that become clear early in the book and after putting the canoe through some trials off they both set to explore the rivers and not only that but explore and discover nature.
The real beauty is that you can imagine the two in their red canoe silently paddling the waterways of Britain which gives them both the perfect way to get back to nature and to pause real life in their year long quest to examine our rivers and the wildlife that makes this their home.
Not in any way was this an easy relaxed year long quest there was at times real life drama and peril. Examining the rivers from The Waveney and The Stour and Alde, through to the Upper and Lower Thames to the River Severn.
At times you can almost hear the birdsong as they paddle gently through the rivers but at times you sense their real fear. The beauty of knowing that both become at one with our watery arteries of Britain but also at one with nature even glimpse of wild Beavers.
I for one would not even dream of paddling some the extreme rivers and Lochs this is not for the faint hearted but the message that comes across to anyone reading this is simple. Life is for living and live in the now. Beautifully written and told but I would have loved a few photos as this would have made this book. Definitely one I would really recommend reading sat by a river when the sun shines listening to the birdsong.
The red canoe is christened ‘Pipe’ for reasons that become clear early in the book and after putting the canoe through some trials off they both set to explore the rivers and not only that but explore and discover nature.
The real beauty is that you can imagine the two in their red canoe silently paddling the waterways of Britain which gives them both the perfect way to get back to nature and to pause real life in their year long quest to examine our rivers and the wildlife that makes this their home.
Not in any way was this an easy relaxed year long quest there was at times real life drama and peril. Examining the rivers from The Waveney and The Stour and Alde, through to the Upper and Lower Thames to the River Severn.
At times you can almost hear the birdsong as they paddle gently through the rivers but at times you sense their real fear. The beauty of knowing that both become at one with our watery arteries of Britain but also at one with nature even glimpse of wild Beavers.
I for one would not even dream of paddling some the extreme rivers and Lochs this is not for the faint hearted but the message that comes across to anyone reading this is simple. Life is for living and live in the now. Beautifully written and told but I would have loved a few photos as this would have made this book. Definitely one I would really recommend reading sat by a river when the sun shines listening to the birdsong.
April 6, 2018
I was asked to review by Nudge.
Having been born in the sixties, I witnessed the demise of rivers and canals, but also in the 90s and beyond witnessed a rebirth of both canals and rivers and I too now have had a love for both. This is a beautiful story of Matt and James who go on a journey in a homemade canoe.
How many of us explore our back yard, and some would think rather silly in a canoe, yet this pair did- and what a story they had to tell- this is all within our reach in the UK. This was not a summer jaunt the pair wanted to explore in all seasons and witness all weathers. Brave but this was interesting.
This is a story of friendship, adventure and fantastic nature. This is the author's debut book.
I particularly enjoyed reading about the Thames as I spend a lot of time at Kew Bridge, but although I may enjoy a glass of wine overlooking Kew or Chiswick, I give very little thoughts to my surroundings and the very obvious river. Whilst finishing this book earlier this week the Severn and Avon rivers were about to peak dangerously due to the rain fall- it made me again think why have I never explored even on the foot paths.
The book made me think I should take this when out and about and when in areas that are described in this book read the chapter and get the sense of what Matt and James felt at that time.
The book is well researched with interesting facts of the places and waterways they visited.
a marvellous find and for all Jerome K Jerome fans this another great book
I am already thinking of who would love this book for Christmas.
Thank you Nudge for allowing me to review and thank you Matt Gaw for writing and inspiring me.
Having been born in the sixties, I witnessed the demise of rivers and canals, but also in the 90s and beyond witnessed a rebirth of both canals and rivers and I too now have had a love for both. This is a beautiful story of Matt and James who go on a journey in a homemade canoe.
How many of us explore our back yard, and some would think rather silly in a canoe, yet this pair did- and what a story they had to tell- this is all within our reach in the UK. This was not a summer jaunt the pair wanted to explore in all seasons and witness all weathers. Brave but this was interesting.
This is a story of friendship, adventure and fantastic nature. This is the author's debut book.
I particularly enjoyed reading about the Thames as I spend a lot of time at Kew Bridge, but although I may enjoy a glass of wine overlooking Kew or Chiswick, I give very little thoughts to my surroundings and the very obvious river. Whilst finishing this book earlier this week the Severn and Avon rivers were about to peak dangerously due to the rain fall- it made me again think why have I never explored even on the foot paths.
The book made me think I should take this when out and about and when in areas that are described in this book read the chapter and get the sense of what Matt and James felt at that time.
The book is well researched with interesting facts of the places and waterways they visited.
a marvellous find and for all Jerome K Jerome fans this another great book
I am already thinking of who would love this book for Christmas.
Thank you Nudge for allowing me to review and thank you Matt Gaw for writing and inspiring me.
February 16, 2020
There's something really lovely about the idea of meandering gently along beautiful British waterways in a canoe, quietly moving in time to the dip and fall of a gentle current, and following the curve and flutter and iridescent blue of a kingfisher in flight. For Matt Gaw and his friend James Treadaway this became a reality when they took to the water in their two-man canoe and escaped into the secret world of rivers.
It's not all about gentle waterways as there are some journeys where wild water and deep channels make the going a little tougher however, what comes across is the absolute lure of the river and when combined with the author's enthusiasm and fine way with words, the whole thing gives a glimpse of the landscape from an entirely different perspective.
This is such a wonderful idea for a book as both the places along the river, and the wildlife that call the riverbank home, come beautifully alive. The author's account of the gentle exploration of various rivers and the adventures that he and his co-canoeist had along the way certainly makes for interesting reading.
The book is nicely divided into specific river journeys, and even though most of the rivers mentioned were new to me, I have enjoyed taking a journey into the unknown, and, moving along the waterways with the author as my guide, I now feel as if I can visualise our glorious waterscape in a whole new light.
It's not all about gentle waterways as there are some journeys where wild water and deep channels make the going a little tougher however, what comes across is the absolute lure of the river and when combined with the author's enthusiasm and fine way with words, the whole thing gives a glimpse of the landscape from an entirely different perspective.
This is such a wonderful idea for a book as both the places along the river, and the wildlife that call the riverbank home, come beautifully alive. The author's account of the gentle exploration of various rivers and the adventures that he and his co-canoeist had along the way certainly makes for interesting reading.
The book is nicely divided into specific river journeys, and even though most of the rivers mentioned were new to me, I have enjoyed taking a journey into the unknown, and, moving along the waterways with the author as my guide, I now feel as if I can visualise our glorious waterscape in a whole new light.
May 19, 2024
When Matt Gaw’s friend James builds a canoe, the pair decide to use it to explore the rivers and canals of Britain. During the course of a year, they paddle along more than a dozen rivers, learning about the wildlife, culture, history and industry that surround and shape them. At the end of the year, Gaw reflects that “I’ve always felt that I’ve been on the borders with nature. I’ve wandered i and out. It is a relationship I have cherished but rarely developed, like a good friend you only see at Christmas and funerals. The rivers and the wild water of the lochs, though, have allowed something longer, deeper, all-encompassing: joy, wonder and in some cases even flickers of life-affirming terror. I feel like I’ve shed the rust gathered from being landlocked and lazy.”
A joyful, fun book, but one that also considers some serious issues, such as access to the countryside, issues of pollution and declining wildlife and how to balance our demands for water with the need to protect the wildlife which also depend on it. I did find their cavalier attitude to safety a bit irritating at first, but Gaw later writes about how this attitude got them into danger and made them realise the importance of respecting the risks.
This book is a kind of hybrid of a grownup Wind in the Willows and a serious Three Men in a Boat with a sprinkling of historical and scientific facts thrown into the mix. Recommended for those who like messing about in boats.
A joyful, fun book, but one that also considers some serious issues, such as access to the countryside, issues of pollution and declining wildlife and how to balance our demands for water with the need to protect the wildlife which also depend on it. I did find their cavalier attitude to safety a bit irritating at first, but Gaw later writes about how this attitude got them into danger and made them realise the importance of respecting the risks.
This book is a kind of hybrid of a grownup Wind in the Willows and a serious Three Men in a Boat with a sprinkling of historical and scientific facts thrown into the mix. Recommended for those who like messing about in boats.
October 22, 2023
Tales from the between the river bank.
When you think of Britain and its network of roads, railways, canals, it is easy to forget how much of our landscape is shaped by, scored and criss-crossed by rivers. For most of us, rivers are a passing entity. To be observed from the bankside, on leisurely walks.
Matt Gaw and his friend James embark in a home made canoe to experience life between the river banks. To follow the flow, streams and currents of rivers local, little known and near and more distant and famous. From the Colne, Cam and Otter to the Wye, Severn and Thames.
Each river is skillfully observed. From the wildlife that proliferates, the changing landscapes, the characteristic of the water and the historical importance, whilst not shying away from lamenting the impact of pollution, industrialisation and sewerage.
A beautifully written paen to our rivers and a reminder that we neglect them at our peril. If we nurture and protect rivers, wildlife flourishes and so do we.
A wonderful book, that ignites the spark of adventure and exploration. And also reminds us that adventure is not too far away. You just need a canoe and your nearest river.
Highly recommended.
When you think of Britain and its network of roads, railways, canals, it is easy to forget how much of our landscape is shaped by, scored and criss-crossed by rivers. For most of us, rivers are a passing entity. To be observed from the bankside, on leisurely walks.
Matt Gaw and his friend James embark in a home made canoe to experience life between the river banks. To follow the flow, streams and currents of rivers local, little known and near and more distant and famous. From the Colne, Cam and Otter to the Wye, Severn and Thames.
Each river is skillfully observed. From the wildlife that proliferates, the changing landscapes, the characteristic of the water and the historical importance, whilst not shying away from lamenting the impact of pollution, industrialisation and sewerage.
A beautifully written paen to our rivers and a reminder that we neglect them at our peril. If we nurture and protect rivers, wildlife flourishes and so do we.
A wonderful book, that ignites the spark of adventure and exploration. And also reminds us that adventure is not too far away. You just need a canoe and your nearest river.
Highly recommended.
May 22, 2022
Matt Gaw and his friend James build a canoe and spend as much time as they can exploring the rivers of Britain. Matt reflects on the feelings evoked by the ever changing waterscape, the delights of mucking about in boats and poetical fancies. They camp overnight, portage their craft over numerous obstacles, encounter wildlife, lowlife and historical remains in every season. After capsizing, suffering hypothermia, losing their gear and nearly the boat, they transition from naive paddlers to experienced canoeists. Lyrical descriptions of the rivers, canals, weirs, tributaries and the mighty River Thames show the appalling state of Britain's waterways and what should be a national shame. A few people care enough to volunteer time to restore the vibrant life of the rivers for which overdue thanks is needed. Beauty and death, mystery and transparency, softness and cruelty are pondered. Overall the joy of the rivers and what they can be shines through.
April 10, 2019
Who doesn’t imagine one day taking a river journey into some mysterious places beyond the road and beyond the ordinary life?
It’s just that Matt Gaw and his friend do it, and take themselves down some thorny and challenging mini-journeys, re-discovering places, and learning a little about themselves in the process.
I like that we get the magic and the mundanity. The gentle thrill of being swept through an invisible landscape and the joy of the perfect Scottish river camp-site as well as the pollution, the muck and mud and the tourists and the prickly land-owners who’d rather this was all locked up.
I would have liked some mini-maps of these places for more perspective but this is a little book of little adventures that is immensely satisfying.
It’s just that Matt Gaw and his friend do it, and take themselves down some thorny and challenging mini-journeys, re-discovering places, and learning a little about themselves in the process.
I like that we get the magic and the mundanity. The gentle thrill of being swept through an invisible landscape and the joy of the perfect Scottish river camp-site as well as the pollution, the muck and mud and the tourists and the prickly land-owners who’d rather this was all locked up.
I would have liked some mini-maps of these places for more perspective but this is a little book of little adventures that is immensely satisfying.
October 12, 2018
Very enjoyable story of the adventures of the author and his friend as they built a canoe and then travelled round various UK rivers discovering a new sport and more about themselves in the process. Eloquently written, the book entertained, educated and inspired me. I liked all the backstories to the various places they visited, made it more than just an adventure, I learned something along the way.
Almost rated it 5 stars, I really enjoyed this book, but I also found it took me a long time to read - spaced out over several months. Recommended for anyone into canoeing or wanting to follow a simple adventure in this modern age
Almost rated it 5 stars, I really enjoyed this book, but I also found it took me a long time to read - spaced out over several months. Recommended for anyone into canoeing or wanting to follow a simple adventure in this modern age
May 25, 2020
A fairly light-hearted account of the author's journeys, usually with his friend James, along many of Britain's waterways. Gaw writes with love and enthusiasm about the natural world they encounter on their journeys, but has only just enough material to sustain 288 pages. An easy and enjoyable read.
April 29, 2024
A nice adventurous book which I'm sure was an absolute joy to be part of the making of. I must say the writing style wasn't for me. A bit too poetic and adjective filled for my taste. But many people enjoy that in a book. I prefer simple easy reading. But granted, if it wasn't very descriptive in style, a book about canoeing would probably be short and dull
May 30, 2020
Reading time well spent.
When you've finished reading a book and feel you've been on a journey with the author and returned safely, you know you've read a good book.
Thank you Matt👍.
When you've finished reading a book and feel you've been on a journey with the author and returned safely, you know you've read a good book.
Thank you Matt👍.
December 31, 2020
Had very mixed feelings about this book, I couldn't quite warm to Matt initially although I am not sure why. However by the end it had me wanting to get back out with our kayak and explore more beautiful parts of the country.
August 31, 2022
Great premise for a book (have read similar on walking), and it was interesting to hear about the different river journeys, but all the reports seemed very short. As a non-UK reader, I really really needed a map to make sense of it.
May 29, 2024
A wonderful step into the rivers of the UK in a hand built canoe. Both History and social commentary, this book offers something for a wide variety of readers. The outdoorsy types will revel in the adventures and locations which are full of descriptions even if you can't exactly pinpoint the spot.
January 28, 2025
We live in a country of rivers and this readable book captures that. It also captures the damage wd have donecand continue to do to them and the need to fight for access in the sane way we need to fight fircaccess to land . Right to row.
November 2, 2020
A pleasing combination of poetry, history, simple adventure, and nature.
August 10, 2021
Beautiful, just beautiful.
February 21, 2023
This is a really inspiring story of discovering the wonder of the water and the freedom one may find in the great British countryside.
January 16, 2025
Nice read
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