Paddle the East of England book review

The writers of this book are part of a bigger picture. They are all the original admins for the Facebook group East of England Paddlesports, which currently has over 15.7 thousand followers! They are also the largest and first online group to formally become affiliated with Paddle UK, the joint National Governing body for England.

This is tremendous recognition for this virtual club and a testament to the level of hard work and care taken by the admins and writers of this book: Jess Ashley, Oli Jordan, Andy Large, and Matt Payne. The FB group has an outstanding balance of fantastic photos taken by its members and a huge number of resources from either the Club or Paddle UK relating to diverse topics, including safety, best kit, guidance, and coaching.

So, of course, I am delighted to have been sent a copy – what did I say last month? Can you have too many paddleboard guidebooks? From the first moment you flick open the pages, I guess what you want from a book is for it to either transport you there or inspire you to paddle in some or all the locations!

It looks beautiful and incredibly diverse
I have never had the pleasure of paddling the East of England, except for some occasional racing on the Norfolk Broads, and yes, it does look beautiful and incredibly diverse. From Dovercourt Bay in Essex, with its twin cast iron lighthouses dating from 1863, to one of the most stunning and historic paddles along the Cam, meandering through the oldest colleges of Cambridge.

All paddlesports
The authors of this book have certainly paddled these routes on all sorts of craft, being experienced canoeists, kayakers, and paddleboarders, so there is a lot of advice covering all paddlesports. At the front of the book is guidance on what to wear and take, as well as a guide to safety and licences. All locations are covered by an address, postcode, or the incredibly accurate What3Words.

The rest of the book is full of gorgeous photos and wonderful routes, each following Adlard Coles’ successful format. ‘The Lowdown’ covers distance, water type, difficulty, parking, and launch information. Then, there are paragraphs on history, wildlife, the paddle route, food stops, and other local activities. ‘Need to Know’ at the end of the chapter covers a few more useful topics.

I love a physical book, and if, like me, you do not have much experience of the East of England, I can only encourage you to grab a copy of this lovely book and get yourselves up there – you are more than likely to bump into Jess, Oli, Andy, or Matt whilst on the water! Happy Paddling!
£17.99