REVIEWS

The brief title understates the value of this book. For anyone planning a small boat/kayak journey, anywhere around the coastline of Britain, I suggest this book is absolutely essential reading.

For well over 20 years, Stuart Fisher was editor of Canoeist Magazine, a glossy publication published monthly, which described all aspects of paddling in Britain. Back in 1989, Stuart included the first of a series of coastal guides in the magazine, and this led over the years, not only to the slowest solo kayak circumnavigation of Britain, but also another 61 coastal guides, all of which appeared over the years in Canoeist.

What sets this book apart from the those a paddler would normally research for a United Kingdom trip, such as pilots the England, Scotland and Wales Pilots, and coastal yachting manuals, is that each of Stuart's coastal guides contains a comprehensive blend of descriptions of :

the coastline
weather, sea, surf and tidal conditions
maritime and onshore history
strip maps
photos
listing of maps, charts, campsites & hostel accommodation, rescue service contacts, forecast area names.

The 62 coastal section descriptions start from number 1, in West Cornwall, and work progressively clockwise around England, Wales and Scotland, to close the circuit with number 62 back in West Cornwall. In a 17-hour day from the Gower peninsula, he was hoping for a good night's kip under a blackberry bush, only to be woken a few hours later by a young lady stripping off in front of him, for an early morning swim.

Availability - I can only suggest ordering from your local specialist bookshop, or getting in touch with the publisher:

Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson Ltd, Wych House, The Broadway, St Ives, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE27 5BT, England;
www.imray.com; email:ilnw@imray.com

For the rest of this and other reviews see the May 2007 issue of Atlantic Coastal Kayaker!