The Pull of the River: A Journey into the Wild and Watery Heart of Britain

Author(s): Matt Gaw

Location(s): United Kingdom

Genre(s): Travelogue

Era(s): 21st century

Location

Content

An antidote to bad news, this is pure armchair escapism, described variously as ‘joyful’, ‘glorious’ and ‘spirited’.

Lyrical, insightful and brimming with personality, it’s the perfect British travelogue for the generation inspired by Roger Deakin’s Waterlog.

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.

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