The River Thames is simply a fantastic place to paddle your canoe,
kayak or paddleboard, whether touring, training, racing,
expeditioning or just 'bimbling'. From its early reaches in the
Cotswold Hills, through the Home Counties into London and far out
beyond into the estuary, the river's surroundings are remarkably
varied and diverse, yet always attractive and engaging. If your
mental image of the Thames depicts an urban sewer, be prepared to
be amazed; the water is clean, the banks are invariably green and
naturalists describe the river's ecosystems as a 'wildlife
superhighway'. This natural beauty is equalled by the human story
which the Thames narrates; from locks, gardens and parks to
mansions, abbeys, castles and palaces, the paddler is continuously
immersed in what MP John Burns famously called 'liquid history'.
The riverine Arcadia of willow-draped banks, back channels and
islands celebrated in Three Men in a Boat and The Wind in the
Willows was not a myth, and it still exists.Is a paddler's
guidebook to the Thames needed? Britain's best-known river might
actually be the least-known by paddlers.The huge paddling
population and numerous canoe clubs based along it belie a
surprising fact; many of these paddlers aren't sure what is found
up- and down-stream from their patch. In a river stretching 347km,
this is both understandable and forgivable. However, there are
other reasons for the relatively low numbers of paddlers
encountered whilst enjoying the Thames. Information about where and
how to launch is hard to come by, existing guides and media give
the impression that the Thames is the preserve of powerboats and
rowers, and finally, the perception often lingers that it isn't
actually very attractive or interesting. This book sets out to
redress these major omissions and misconceptions, and to reclaim
John 'Rob Roy' MacGregor's river for paddlers.Mark Rainsley has
spent three decades using paddlesport as a means of avoiding
adulthood and responsibility. He is a fanatical paddler who has
descended challenging whitewater rivers worldwide, and who is
dedicated to exploring every nook and cranny of the UK's coast by
sea kayak. He created the UK Rivers and UK Sea Kayak websites and
is a prolific contributor to paddlesport magazines and other
media.Mark authored other Pesda Press titles.
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