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Water Ways: A thousand miles along Britain's canals
For a hundred and fifty years, between the plod of packhorse trains and the arrival of the railways, canals were the high-tech water machine driving the industrial revolution. Amazing feats of engineering, they carried the rural into the city and the urban into the countryside, and changed the lives of everyone. And then, just when their purpose was extinguished by modern transport, they were saved from extinction and repurposed as a 'slow highways' network, a peaceful and countrywide haven from our too-busy age. Today, there are more boats on the canals than in their Victorian heyday. Writer and slow adventurer Jasper Winn spent a year exploring Britain's waterways on foot and by bike, in a kayak and on narrowboats. Along a thousand miles of 'wet roads and water streets' he discovered a world of wildlife corridors, underground adventures, the hardware of heritage and history, new boating communities, endurance kayak races and remote towpaths. He shared journeys with some of the last working boat people and met the anglers, walkers, boaters, activists, volunteers and eccentrics who have made the waterways their home. In Britain most of us live within five miles of a canal, and reading this book we will see them in an entirely new light.
- GenresNonfictionTravel
384 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2020
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165 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 17, 2021
Roads are now king. Almost everything is moved from port to warehouse, warehouse to store or most commonly now our home. Before the roads, rail was the most important way of moving people and goods around. You have to go back a long way to find the previous method of moving goods and raw materials around and that was water. It was loaded onto boats and moved along the coast or upstream as far as the river in question was navigable.
I thought the first canals to move bulk materials from place to place were cut in the 1700s, but it turns out that the first recognizable canal was made in the 1560s. This short stretch was to bypass a weir and was on the River Exe. It even had locks. For Winn, it seems to be the best place to start his exploration of the canal network, but he thinks getting a little experience on a boat would be useful. Thankfully being appointed writer in residence for the Canal and River Trust gives him plenty of contacts and he finds himself on the towpath on the Oxford Canal where he will be joining Kate Saffin for a short course narrow boating.
His travels will take him from coast to coast, through tunnels, and along towpaths on his foldable bike. He will speak to fishermen, discover why some people are now throwing magnets into the canals, spend time with a couple who provide fuels to narrowboat owners. He follows the people (nutters) who are tackling the Devizes to Westminster canoe race, joins in with the signing on a boat called the Village Butty and sinks quite a few pints with friends new and old. There is some history in here too, outlines of the brilliant engineers who designed and built the canals and the people in the 1950 and 1960s who couldn’t bear the thought of the network being filled in and worked tirelessly to save them.
I really liked this book, it brought back happy memories as I grew up very close to the Basingstoke Canal and loved cycling along the towpath. I have no recollection of ever falling in, but I am sure that I must have got the odd bootful of water occasionally. We are all supposed to be really close to a canal, but as far as I know, there are no canals in Dorset. Winn has obviously fallen for the canal life too judging by this book. He writes with warm affection and a genuine interest for the places and people that he meets on his 1000 mile journey along the towpaths. I like the way he writes too, he has good attention to detail and shows how much these linear waterways mean to the people that use them for leisure, work and living. He has a light touch with humour and the maps on the endpapers are wonderful.
I thought the first canals to move bulk materials from place to place were cut in the 1700s, but it turns out that the first recognizable canal was made in the 1560s. This short stretch was to bypass a weir and was on the River Exe. It even had locks. For Winn, it seems to be the best place to start his exploration of the canal network, but he thinks getting a little experience on a boat would be useful. Thankfully being appointed writer in residence for the Canal and River Trust gives him plenty of contacts and he finds himself on the towpath on the Oxford Canal where he will be joining Kate Saffin for a short course narrow boating.
His travels will take him from coast to coast, through tunnels, and along towpaths on his foldable bike. He will speak to fishermen, discover why some people are now throwing magnets into the canals, spend time with a couple who provide fuels to narrowboat owners. He follows the people (nutters) who are tackling the Devizes to Westminster canoe race, joins in with the signing on a boat called the Village Butty and sinks quite a few pints with friends new and old. There is some history in here too, outlines of the brilliant engineers who designed and built the canals and the people in the 1950 and 1960s who couldn’t bear the thought of the network being filled in and worked tirelessly to save them.
I really liked this book, it brought back happy memories as I grew up very close to the Basingstoke Canal and loved cycling along the towpath. I have no recollection of ever falling in, but I am sure that I must have got the odd bootful of water occasionally. We are all supposed to be really close to a canal, but as far as I know, there are no canals in Dorset. Winn has obviously fallen for the canal life too judging by this book. He writes with warm affection and a genuine interest for the places and people that he meets on his 1000 mile journey along the towpaths. I like the way he writes too, he has good attention to detail and shows how much these linear waterways mean to the people that use them for leisure, work and living. He has a light touch with humour and the maps on the endpapers are wonderful.
October 11, 2018
I absolutely loved this. It is a hugely entertaining combination of social history and travelogue, witty, enthralling, touching and written with a lovely light touch that engages and is never heavy-handed, not even when dealing with the environmental issues. I bought this as a present - the hardback edition is lovely, with some great black and white illustrations - and then borrowed it back to read it for myself. It made me want to walk every single one of the towpaths, to cross the aqueducts, even to go through the tunnels. It made me want to re-watch every one of the Channel 4 Great Canal Journeys. It even made me want to take a trip on a canal boat myself - though not to live on one! A fab and quirky present that will surprise lots of different kinds of readers, and a delight to read, it's even given me a few ideas for my own writing. I loved this.
Read
April 14, 2025A wonderful book that meanders through the history of narrowboats and canals in England. Learnt so many interesting things and will be following up some suggested further reading on Narrowboat folk music.
August 27, 2024
A pleasant read about the life and history of the canal network. A lovely present from Grace who is now an expert!
August 25, 2022
Wow! I don’t think the Canal & River trust could have picked a more perfect Writer in Residence if they’d tried. Talk about find the right person, at the right time to undertake a project like this. What we have here is a book with an amazing collection of well researched history & travel writing. It provides the reader with a fabulous window into Britain’s canals and it’s multitude of users. I really enjoyed every bit of it and learnt so much. Loved the pics (even if some were hard to depict due to being printed in black on normal pages). My only slight complaint would be that I would’ve liked more detailed maps of where he was in each chapter, included in the text for it maybe. I like to know where things are quite specifically at. I can’t wait to work my way though the further reading section to find out even more. I’ve already ordered some copies for friends and a spare to leave by a canal for a random reader.
So many bits I could quote here, but this on from P142 caught my attention:
“Other canal boats carried barrels of urine, needed as a mordant in dying cloth in the Yorkshire mills; embarrassed boat crews might deny that was their cargo and claim to be carrying something more prestigious, but those in the know would meet the fibs with ‘you're taking the piss’.”
PS: I’m a Lock addict canal lover who dreams of having a house by the canals one day, with a little boat of my own at the end of the garden to go off exploring in. I’m too much of a stuff-a-holic to live aboard myself.
So many bits I could quote here, but this on from P142 caught my attention:
“Other canal boats carried barrels of urine, needed as a mordant in dying cloth in the Yorkshire mills; embarrassed boat crews might deny that was their cargo and claim to be carrying something more prestigious, but those in the know would meet the fibs with ‘you're taking the piss’.”
PS: I’m a Lock addict canal lover who dreams of having a house by the canals one day, with a little boat of my own at the end of the garden to go off exploring in. I’m too much of a stuff-a-holic to live aboard myself.
July 13, 2025
I’m extremely picky about travel writing and this was ace- didn’t trust it for so long based on him never being on a boat before, but you can tell through the writing there’s hundreds of boaters behind it all having rants that he listens to and does justice. If anyone left a copy in calcutt marina’s loft you’re welcome to have it back however I have painted the front cover.
May 17, 2020
It is said that most of us in Britain live within five miles of a stretch of canal. Many of these have fallen into disrepair. Some have been built over. Thanks to the work of enthusiasts, however, many remain navigable. There are now more boats using these manmade waterways than in their working heyday.
In 2016 Jasper Winn was approached by the Canal and River Trust – current custodians of the canals – about becoming their first Writer in Residence. His brief was to spend the next year making his way across the two thousand or so miles of canals and rivers in England and Wales – on foot, bike, boat and canoe – exploring their history and learning the stories of the people who live, work and play there. A partnership between the Trust and Profile Books would enable his findings to be published, providing an account of Britain’s canals including their culture and wildlife.
To start things off, the author spends three days as an apprentice on a narrow boat, discovering the basics of canal navigation. He then travels to the Exeter Canal – built to solve a local problem before there was apparent need nationally for the transport option provided.
“Sixteenth-century England didn’t have enough high-value, bulky cargoes to move around; there was no need to build anything national”
“For the 200 years after the Exeter Canal was built, the majority of the goods and materials people used, consumed and aspired to were produced locally.”
This changed when the industrial revolution increased the need for coal in city and other locations. Canals were built, underground as well as overground, to shift commodities from source to factories. The wealth generated along with increased migration changed the economy – ergo the population’s consumer habits.
The author purchases a fold-up bike and sets out to cycle along the towpath of the Bridgewater Canal which is regarded as the first canal of the modern age. The history of this and subsequent canals visited makes for fascinating reading. As well as detailing the engineering achievements there is social and economic history – and a snapshot of what remains. Text is enhanced by the inclusion of many pictures showing canal life and key features.
The author also travels the canals in his kayak, navigating coast to coast in the north and along the route of the Devizes to Westminster race. He joins a litter picking party using paddleboards to reach detritus. He runs a half marathon along towpaths. To round off his year or so of exploration, he hires a narrow boat with a group of friends.
Interesting tidbits are interspersed with facts gleaned, such as: why towpaths change banks on long stretches of canal; why there are occasional ramps leading from canal floor to towpath; how, on a busy working canal, passing boats dealt with crossing towropes.
The author delves into the lives of those who built the canals – the navvies – as well as those who worked the boats and supported the industry and network. He writes of the dangers of life on the waterways, but also that it could provide a decent living. As he walks, cycles and kayaks he talks to those who use the facility today. He sleeps alongside towpaths in his bivvy bag. He enjoys the canal side pubs, especially those with live music.
Although the advent of the railways took much of the trade from working waterways, many remained operational well into the twentieth century. It is thanks to the vision of those who saw the potential of canals as leisure facilities that many of these were saved. Working boats were converted into houseboats offering affordable if peripatetic accommodation. As demand increased, costs rose, but canal dwellers still form an atypical if largely friendly and helpful community.
Across fourteen engaging chapters the reader is provided with views of life on the canals across time and from a wide variety of perspectives. It made this prospective have-a-go boater rethink the wisdom of ever hiring a narrow boat. Nevertheless, it brought to life many aspects of the waterways I have long enjoyed touring.
In 2016 Jasper Winn was approached by the Canal and River Trust – current custodians of the canals – about becoming their first Writer in Residence. His brief was to spend the next year making his way across the two thousand or so miles of canals and rivers in England and Wales – on foot, bike, boat and canoe – exploring their history and learning the stories of the people who live, work and play there. A partnership between the Trust and Profile Books would enable his findings to be published, providing an account of Britain’s canals including their culture and wildlife.
To start things off, the author spends three days as an apprentice on a narrow boat, discovering the basics of canal navigation. He then travels to the Exeter Canal – built to solve a local problem before there was apparent need nationally for the transport option provided.
“Sixteenth-century England didn’t have enough high-value, bulky cargoes to move around; there was no need to build anything national”
“For the 200 years after the Exeter Canal was built, the majority of the goods and materials people used, consumed and aspired to were produced locally.”
This changed when the industrial revolution increased the need for coal in city and other locations. Canals were built, underground as well as overground, to shift commodities from source to factories. The wealth generated along with increased migration changed the economy – ergo the population’s consumer habits.
The author purchases a fold-up bike and sets out to cycle along the towpath of the Bridgewater Canal which is regarded as the first canal of the modern age. The history of this and subsequent canals visited makes for fascinating reading. As well as detailing the engineering achievements there is social and economic history – and a snapshot of what remains. Text is enhanced by the inclusion of many pictures showing canal life and key features.
The author also travels the canals in his kayak, navigating coast to coast in the north and along the route of the Devizes to Westminster race. He joins a litter picking party using paddleboards to reach detritus. He runs a half marathon along towpaths. To round off his year or so of exploration, he hires a narrow boat with a group of friends.
Interesting tidbits are interspersed with facts gleaned, such as: why towpaths change banks on long stretches of canal; why there are occasional ramps leading from canal floor to towpath; how, on a busy working canal, passing boats dealt with crossing towropes.
The author delves into the lives of those who built the canals – the navvies – as well as those who worked the boats and supported the industry and network. He writes of the dangers of life on the waterways, but also that it could provide a decent living. As he walks, cycles and kayaks he talks to those who use the facility today. He sleeps alongside towpaths in his bivvy bag. He enjoys the canal side pubs, especially those with live music.
Although the advent of the railways took much of the trade from working waterways, many remained operational well into the twentieth century. It is thanks to the vision of those who saw the potential of canals as leisure facilities that many of these were saved. Working boats were converted into houseboats offering affordable if peripatetic accommodation. As demand increased, costs rose, but canal dwellers still form an atypical if largely friendly and helpful community.
Across fourteen engaging chapters the reader is provided with views of life on the canals across time and from a wide variety of perspectives. It made this prospective have-a-go boater rethink the wisdom of ever hiring a narrow boat. Nevertheless, it brought to life many aspects of the waterways I have long enjoyed touring.
July 20, 2025
This book was a gift from my daughter, who lives near the Grand Union canal (and had read it herself). When we visited recently, she and her husband treated my spouse and me to a narrowboat ride in which we got to take a turn at the tiller and to operate the “paddles” for the locks – great fun! I knew a bit about the canals already, but the short trip on one, and seeing how the locks work first-hand, piqued my interest in knowing more about the canals.
This book was enjoyable on a couple of levels. First of all, it is an amazing story of one man’s adventures as he traveled around the canal system, on foot, by kayak, bicycle, and also by boat, meeting countless interesting people along the way. I had to marvel at his sleeping “rough” along the canals in what seemed like minimal protective gear, and at his ability to connect with people and find accommodations on boats and in homes, work places, and various other spots around the country. The author describes his physical accomplishments in somewhat matter-of-fact terms, but it’s apparent that his prowess with kayaking and bicycling did not start with this trip.
Woven throughout, and obviously the main point of the book, is a description of the rich and amazing history of the canals and the people behind them – who conceived them, built them, operated them, and how they evolved through 200+ years of use. It’s hard to know which was more astounding – the visionary businessmen who imagined how canals could aid their fortunes (and sometimes did, but not always) or the clever engineering and challenging physical work of the construction.
One of the most amazing parts is the story of how the canals were “saved” in the modern era for non-industrial use by a small but mighty group of ordinary citizens who had a new vision of how the canals could be used by the public for recreational and cultural purposes, entirely different from their original purposes of hauling goods and waste materials.
Well-written, very informative, lots of interesting photographs, and seemingly a very affectionate portrayal of the canal system and its importance to the UK not just historically and today – but for very different reasons over the centuries of its history.
This book was enjoyable on a couple of levels. First of all, it is an amazing story of one man’s adventures as he traveled around the canal system, on foot, by kayak, bicycle, and also by boat, meeting countless interesting people along the way. I had to marvel at his sleeping “rough” along the canals in what seemed like minimal protective gear, and at his ability to connect with people and find accommodations on boats and in homes, work places, and various other spots around the country. The author describes his physical accomplishments in somewhat matter-of-fact terms, but it’s apparent that his prowess with kayaking and bicycling did not start with this trip.
Woven throughout, and obviously the main point of the book, is a description of the rich and amazing history of the canals and the people behind them – who conceived them, built them, operated them, and how they evolved through 200+ years of use. It’s hard to know which was more astounding – the visionary businessmen who imagined how canals could aid their fortunes (and sometimes did, but not always) or the clever engineering and challenging physical work of the construction.
One of the most amazing parts is the story of how the canals were “saved” in the modern era for non-industrial use by a small but mighty group of ordinary citizens who had a new vision of how the canals could be used by the public for recreational and cultural purposes, entirely different from their original purposes of hauling goods and waste materials.
Well-written, very informative, lots of interesting photographs, and seemingly a very affectionate portrayal of the canal system and its importance to the UK not just historically and today – but for very different reasons over the centuries of its history.
July 31, 2022
Enjoyably wraps in the history of canals in Britain with warm human connections.
Winn tells the story of his year cross crossing the country along what feels like every major route by narrow boat, butty, bicycle and kayak with his bivvy bag and guitar, building up the picture of the development of the waterways network from the river Exe in the 1560s through engineering developments, industrialisation, railways, roads, wars, canal busting by conservationists and restoration as the network transforms into its current guise as a haven for people and wildlife.
I borrowed this from the library for a narrow boat holiday with my Dad. We’d never done it before and it was a steep learning curve; I was very heartened by the final chapter describing the authors own attempt at narrowboating with friends! At least we didn’t have to contend with a double bass! It’s taken me a while to finish - but it’s all about going slow, right?
Winn tells the story of his year cross crossing the country along what feels like every major route by narrow boat, butty, bicycle and kayak with his bivvy bag and guitar, building up the picture of the development of the waterways network from the river Exe in the 1560s through engineering developments, industrialisation, railways, roads, wars, canal busting by conservationists and restoration as the network transforms into its current guise as a haven for people and wildlife.
I borrowed this from the library for a narrow boat holiday with my Dad. We’d never done it before and it was a steep learning curve; I was very heartened by the final chapter describing the authors own attempt at narrowboating with friends! At least we didn’t have to contend with a double bass! It’s taken me a while to finish - but it’s all about going slow, right?
January 24, 2019
I bought this book after hearing Jasper at the Hay festival. Enjoyably written and very good at giving you a feel for the waterways and has useful information on different aspects of the history and working of the canals.
A bit of a downbeat ending by making a short boat holiday feel too stressful but up to then l would recommend it to anyone as a top class introduction to the canals.
A bit of a downbeat ending by making a short boat holiday feel too stressful but up to then l would recommend it to anyone as a top class introduction to the canals.
June 7, 2020
A charming exploration the UK inland waterways
A very entertaining wide ranging review of the UK inland waterways from both a historical and user perspective. Excellent bibliography for further exploration.
A very entertaining wide ranging review of the UK inland waterways from both a historical and user perspective. Excellent bibliography for further exploration.
August 24, 2024
3.5
There's a lot of really good stuff in this, so I'm glad I persisted after finding it a slog at the start. It could have done with more rigorous editing as the first few chapters in particular are repetitive.
There's a lot of really good stuff in this, so I'm glad I persisted after finding it a slog at the start. It could have done with more rigorous editing as the first few chapters in particular are repetitive.
October 24, 2019
3.5 stars
August 9, 2020
Interesting exploration of canals of the UK - mix of travel and history
November 18, 2020
Another book I had bought for me and would probably have never picked up otherwise but that I thoroughly enjoyed. Really interesting throughout. A great read.
July 10, 2022
Enjoyed Winn's writing style. Was given this as a leaving present as I headed off on my narrow boat. Fascinating to understand more history behind the water ways we're travelling along.
July 21, 2024
A truly warm embrace of a book and a very informative journey through British canal history
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews