By Mal Grey
The mist swirls gently around me, as I float on water the colour of smoked glass. Moisture clings to my cold gunwhales, for the temperature is hovering just above freezing. Around me, the damp trees are filled with birdsong, as the world awakens to a new day. Ahead, a strange orange glow lines the horizon through the haze, as the sun brings its first warmth to the river. Gradually, the mist clears and the sunrise is revealed in all its glory. Sat, chilly, in my canoe, I am transfixed by the wonder of the natural world, and time passes at a different pace.
Finding magic closer to home
First light
A habit of mine when away on a canoeing trip is to rise at first light, and slip out of camp with the canoe. So often in the early morning, the water is glassy and the conditions spellbinding. I have experienced sunrises on perfect Scottish lochs, mists on the slow waters deep in French valleys below limestone cliffs, and on the miraculous lakes of Scandinavia where the divers call makes the hairs on your arms stand on end. The little tale above, though, relates to a grabbed half hour before work on the River Thames at Pangbourne, which brings me to the point of this article.
Since I ‘found’ canoeing, nearly ten years ago now, my eyes have been opened to the world around me. My perspective has changed, no longer is all my time outside spent chasing an adrenaline rush, as it was when I was either climbing or mountain biking regularly, though I still enjoy the latter and have added a little modest whitewater paddling into the mix these days too. More and more, though, I am happy to sit quietly and watch the world, either alone, or with similarly minded friends. What I have discovered is that I don’t need to travel far from home to find magic moments. The waters of this crowded country of ours, are almost like a different world to the paths and trails of the countryside. It feels like your own special place, nature putting on a show just for your benefit, as once you are on the water, you are so often alone.
This kind of magic is one aspect where the open canoe, in particular, shines. As the warm wood of your single bladed paddle keeps your fingers from chilling, it becomes your contact with the liquid below. You slice the blade silently forward, every nuance of a change of angle brought instantly to your fingers, and your canoe feels alive below you. You apply the forward stroke, and the canoe glides soundlessly, almost magically, along. A trailing rudder stroke just begs you to play with subtle angles, an unnecessary spin irresistible, just to enjoy the movement on the water. At times like this, how far you go, and how fast, is irrelevant. Often, it is hard to tear yourself away. Sun up and sun down, are perhaps the most special times, but there is also great pleasure to be had from being out at any time under blue skies, or sat on a mirror-like lake.
This joyful experience of slow paddling on quiet waters brings other rewards too. It opens your eyes and your mind, perhaps through the gift of allowing you time to simply look around you, and everywhere there is nature in abundance. Even on the most urban of canals, I have paddled silently along to within a canoe’s length of herons and even kingfishers, aware of me but not fazed by me. Well, not until I point a lens straight at them, at which point they get all camera shy, more often than not. It’s not just those creatures that make the water their home that seem to find the canoe more interesting than threatening. I’ve watched badger cubs playing together in the dusk, stared eye to eye with numerous deer, and had a conversation with a tawny owl, who wasn’t even fazed when I accidentally left the camera’s flash turned on. Perhaps he knew he was just out of range for a decent picture.
Very simple activity
The joy of open canoeing is that you need very little to enjoy this feeling. Just a canoe, a paddle and a buoyancy aid. You can wear what you’d wear out for a walk in the countryside. Yes, there is still plenty of equipment you can collect to enhance the experience, especially when you add in overnight camping or whitewater, but essentially this is a very simple activity. Of course, you can enjoy much the same experience in a kayak, or on a sit on top, but there is something special about the single blade on quiet waters.
Our green and pleasant countryside brings us more than just quiet moments appreciating nature’s beauty though. It can bring us hard work, unknown outcomes, and even a little jeopardy. Many of our lowland rivers take you well away from roads and paths, places where nobody else normally goes. Here, the way may be blocked by a tangled jumble of fallen trees, or overgrown with salad-like plants from below your canoe, and progress can be measured in hours per mile, rather than miles per hour. Often a saw will be involved to clear passage, and I have found myself half way up a tree with a canoe, trying to haul it through a gap at the only angle the intransigent trees would allow. There’s something strangely enjoyable at passing your time stood in a mud and spider filled canoe, attempting to climb over a greasy tree trunk whilst pushing your canoe under it, to gain 20 yards of clear water before starting the jungle adventure once again.
Why it should be enjoyable is anybody’s guess, on paper it sounds nuts, but enjoyable it is.
Add a flowing stream to this tangled world and the adventure becomes much more serious. In fact, at times it can be downright dodgy, and great care needs to be taken, using whitewater judgement skills to assess the danger, and to read the water, though the technical grade might not even be grade 1. A mistake could be costly, being swept into the spiky mass of fallen trees unthinkable. An experienced group, with the right level of skill, judgement and a sense of the ridiculous, can have a highly rewarding paddle up there with the best whitewater days. Near me in Surrey, the River Mole is one such place, and every winter finds several of us keeping a constant eye on the water level of this tree-strewn stream, for it only “goes” when there is enough, but not too much water, and rises and falls as fast as a mountain river.
Coastlines
On the fringes of our island lies the sea, one of the most remarkable coastlines on the planet, its diversity almost unique. Down in the south, where I make my home, the coastline is less wild, less rough, than the west and north coasts, but still it feels special. Much of it is the domain of the sea kayaker but there are many estuaries where, when the conditions of tide and wind are right, an open canoe can venture.
There’s a funny thing about the big estuaries along the Sussex and Hampshire coast. When you’re out on them, you’d think it would be the large expanse of water that you’re bobbing up and down on that would dominate. It’s not, it’s the sky, an immense roof under which you feel very small. Paddling out, on your own, into this world of open water and endless mudbanks can feel a little intimidating and isn’t something for beginners. Once you have the experience and confidence, though, these are amazing places to explore.
Out there, the flats are covered in life. Birds with a dozen different shaped beaks find food in the mud that their bill is specifically designed to dig for, piping and crying with somehow mournful voices as they go. If you know where to go, there’s a colony of seals, the only one on the south coast east of Devon, that haul out around low tide. Mostly harbour seals, with a couple of tag-along greys, they are curious creatures. A code of practice asks you not to go too close, but to be honest, if you stop a few hundred metres away, they will probably come to you and have a good look.
Last time I was there, maybe seven or eight of them, including pups, came over and swam around me just a boat length away. Mostly they sneaked up behind, snorted, then dived before I could swing the camera around, but some were happy enough to pose. They certainly didn’t seem remotely stressed. The big grey, though, followed me out as I left their homeland creek, giving my stern the briefest of touches as I reached the main estuary channel again. Interacting with big wild mammals such as these is so rare and special in this country, though it can leave you very aware that whilst they are perfectly at home here, you are certainly not if they did want to tip you in! All this is happening in a truly wild place, yet it has only taken half an hour’s paddling from a bustling small town to get there.
You needn’t even go to the less-travelled places to find a little adventure, to have a glimpse of a bird or animal, or simply to enjoy that feeling of being on the water with nowhere you need to go. Even the busy waters of the Thames as it meanders towards London through ever denser suburban towns offers glimpses of a wilder side, often found by just exploring the backwaters downstream of the many weirs, though don’t get too close to the latter. And Britain has the most extensive canal network anywhere, and every one of them offers a different perspective of the familiar places through which they pass.
Wild camping
If you love camping outdoors, a wild camp can be a fabulous way of really getting the most out of the countryside. Now, this is a slightly grey area, as officially wild camping is not permitted in most of England. However, if you treat both the countryside and the people you meet with respect, arrive late and leave early, in a small group, to an out of the way spot where you will trouble no one, it is perfectly possible and highly unlikely that anybody will ask you to move on. If they do, then don’t argue, and quietly pack up and leave, but gladly I’ve never heard of this happening. I’m sure I don’t need to add that you should leave absolutely no trace that you were there.
Wherever you live, there will be special places to find. Sometimes its as simple as looking for blue lines on the map, others require a bit more research. To me, though, that’s half the fun, there’s nothing better than getting out the maps, firing up Google Streetview and using the many online resources to find a new place to explore, some of which are listed below. Nothing, though, beats the feeling of just going out and exploring for yourselves, there’s magic out there. So, don’t just think of your next trip to the more exotic or wilder places of the world, have a look at those blue lines on your doorstep, and go and have your own little adventures.
Wilderness is a state of mind
Mal has recently launched his own website, showcasing his photography, his writing and hopefully inspiring others through these, and through a regular blog, to get out there and have their own adventures, either further afield or close to home. https://www.wildernessisastateofmind.co.uk/
English rivers Information
Where to Go:
Here are a few of the perhaps lesser known places I’ve explored with my canoe, alone or with friends. These are mostly in the south, but wherever you live, open your eyes and a little adventuring in a magical place awaits.
The Basingstoke Canal
A remarkably rural canal, once you’re west of Fleet. Launch at Barley Mow Bridge and head westwards towards Odiham and, if time allows, on to King John’s Castle near the end at Greywell before returning. Perfect on a summer evening.
The Wey
The Wey Navigation runs from Godalming to the Thames at Weybridge. The best bits, though, are the backwaters, which meander around the lock cuts, which straightened out one of the oldest navigations in Britain. Try the one around Triggs lock, starting from Send, or head to Shalford and explore the wooded backwater around St Catherine’s lock. Be aware, though, that you may find fallen trees on either and as such only experience paddlers should venture there if the water is anything other than a gentle flow.
The Mole
Mentioned above in the text, this is an adventure that only works when the level is reasonable, often best done after its been high, as it falls to a reasonable level. This is very much for experienced paddlers with a high standard of canoe manoeuvring skill, and whitewater skills as well as gardening ones.
The Arun
Even though it’s nearly 20 miles from the sea, the River Arun is still tidal upstream of Pulborough. Launch there, preferably on the middle of a rising tide, and head upstream. Judging the tides here is a dark art, but I work roughly on it being four hours behind the tide at Littlehampton. As you head upstream, you pass though the hills, under the lovely ancient Stopham Bridge, and through some narrow, reed-lined sections, which open out occasionally. If you’re lucky and determined, you might make it to Pallingham Quay, which is just a small farm now, but the name gives away its history.
Chichester Harbour
A lovely part to explore is the arm up towards Fishbourne and Chichester. Launching at West Itchenor on the second half of a rising tide should let you reach the upper area at high tide, have time for a relaxed break on a beach, then return. Note the tide flows quite quickly between the moored craft around the start and finish point, and being an open estuary, is best avoided on a windy day.
The Upper Thames
Above the official navigation, the Thames is a very different river to the one that flows through London, or bustles with punts and rowers in Oxford. Between Cricklade and Lechlade it is little more than a big stream, and can be choked with trees and reeds, so is best avoided in high flows. Up here, you are often miles from any road, something that seems unexpected on England’s most famous river.
The River Nene
Like the Wey, the Nene is a navigation with a host of backwaters around locks to explore. Some spots even have portage points and signage, though its not always consistent or well thought out!
Resources
To help find your own places, the following resources are useful. www.paddlepoints.net
A map-based resource that shows you where to paddle, with thousands of info points added by members.
www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/go-canoeing/places-to-paddle/british-canoeing-places-to-paddle
The ‘official body’ for canoeing in the UK. The Go Canoeing section is useful, and membership is the easiest option for those requiring a licence for most of the navigations of England and Wales. www.canoedaysout.com
A website with lots of suggested ideas for paddling routes. www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/forum.php
A website and forum for all things open canoe. The blogs are a superb source of inspiration on where to go paddling, and this online community is very much to blame for getting me hooked. www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk
More whitewater and sea kayaking orientated, the original Rivers Guidebook section is very useful.
