South West England Paddle Boarding – 100 Places to SUP, Canoe & Kayak book review
The south west of England is one of the most popular destinations for visitors to and from the UK. With the boom in getting on the water by paddleboard, I was delighted to have been sent this new book – it focuses on this quite stunning area and gives the low-down on the best places to paddle on the coast and inland waters too.
The cover draws you in, showcasing the crystal turquoise waters of Cornwall, and the photographs throughout are beautiful. There is great content from the outset, from choosing a board, advice for beginners, and planning a trip to what to pack in your dry bag.
There is a helpful paragraph on how best to use the book, from route planning and paddling environment to a ‘Best for’ section, be it paddling with your family, visiting cliffs, caves and arches, history and heritage, to island circumnavigations. The grading system from 1 to 5 is clever, so 1 might be a smaller, protected area and never far from the bank, and at the other end of the scale, 5 would be a coastal journey on more exposed water. Lakes, rivers, canals, estuaries, and coastal environments are all covered in the grading system.
Finally, at the end of the book are two very important chapters, Keeping Safe on the Water, which gives excellent advice on equipment, safety procedures, and potential health issues. Last but not least is Paddling Responsibly, which, in a concise chapter, gives a wealth of information from the paddler’s code, wildlife, licences and permits, and how to make your voice heard, if necessary, to the organizations who undertake to protect our waterways.
This guidebook has been well written by award-winning writer Lisa Drewe whose other publications include ‘Islandeering – Adventures Around the Edge of Britain’s Hidden Islands’ and ‘England and Wales – Island Bagging’.
A beautiful book, incredibly well researched and written by Lisa, which would inspire any paddler, be they at the beginning of their SUP journey or a seasoned pro – this book is a no-brainer if you love SUP at £18.99.
