The Water Road is the story of a four month circumnavigation by narrowboat of 'The Grand Cross', the name given to the inland waterway linking the Thames to the Humber, Severn and Mersey. Starting in London, Paul Gogarty follows a figure of eight through Britain's major cities and across the Pennines. Entering the world's most concentrated canal network Gogarty sails into England's past and future. 'The Cut' (the name most commonly used for the canals) is a blueprint of when England was a big island and the inland waterways its motorway. But, after more than a century of neglect, 'The Cut' is now enjoying a second golden age with waterfront cities being regenerated and more inland waterways currently opening in Britain than were being built at the height of Canal Mania 200 years ago.

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Product Description

The Water Road is the story of a four month circumnavigation by narrowboat of 'The Grand Cross', the name given to the inland waterway linking the Thames to the Humber, Severn and Mersey. Starting in London, Paul Gogarty follows a figure of eight through Britain's major cities and across the Pennines. Entering the world's most concentrated canal network Gogarty sails into England's past and future. 'The Cut' (the name most commonly used for the canals) is a blueprint of when England was a big island and the inland waterways its motorway. But, after more than a century of neglect, 'The Cut' is now enjoying a second golden age with waterfront cities being regenerated and more inland waterways currently opening in Britain than were being built at the height of Canal Mania 200 years ago. 'The Cut' is a hidden garden flashed with kingfishers and traditional narrowboats; a parallel universe ringing with the laughter of water gypsies, the thin cries of bats and drunken congregations in waterfront pubs. This is a journey across the face of England with all its exultations and darkness; rave boats, glorious sunshine and sheeting rain: canals that have been resurrected and enjoying their new summer and those still abandoned like shameful secrets. The Water Road is a voyage that is poignant, illuminating and hilarious at every turn.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #133738 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 380 pages

About the Author
Paul Gogarty is a freelance travel writer contributing to The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Guardian, Observer and Independent on Sunday as well as a host of magazines. He has won numerous awards for his travel journalism and between 1994-6 was a regular presenter on BBC's Holiday programme. He lives in North London with his wife and two children.

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Customer Reviews

celebrating canals
The Water Road is a book for narrowboaters, towpath walkers, armchair travellers and those who just love quirky reads about Britain. Gogarty's solo journey through backdoor England is indeed an odyssey, with a cast of hundreds of the delightful characters he discovered populating the inner waterways. Until now books on the canals have been dry historical tomes. At last we have a classic of our time which celebrates the renaissance of the British waterways. Gogarty's journey of 920 miles took him 4 months. I finished it in 3 days as I just couldn't put it down.

Secret England outed
Gogarty's Water Road runs the risk of alienating all the people he met on his trip up and down Englands waterways, for outing one the UK's best kept secrets. This thoroughly enjoyable read describes an almost Narnia-like world that exists right under our noses, and which this book will make you want to reach out and grab. Those who live the life that this author had a taste of, whilst researching this beautifully written, and colourfully described travelogue, are truly lucky. Whilst the rest of us fret about credit card repayments and Bush and Iraq, the people on the water road glide happily by, oblivious in their charmed world. I wouldn't mind betting that this book will become the modern equivalent of Rolt's 1940s classic 'Narrow Boat', which has been in print ever since.

The meaning of (p)leasure
Whilst we all run around complaining of no free time to do the things we want to do, there is no time to stop and work out if there is a better way. Paul Gogarty has found the time to write a great work by slowing down, and where better on the canals of England where 4 miles an hour speed limits prevail.

If this had been published in the 70s, reading it today you would assume that it's not like that any more. And you'd be wrong. The canals of Britain are reviving slowly but surely and this book sends a very positive message of this revival.

Gogarty has captured the spirit of the waterways, and the people who inhabit them, whilst somehow managing to portray the slowed-down life to be led. The best travel books are those that take you there and make you want to jump straight into his shoes. In this case I have spent the last few days aboard Caroline with Paul and had a wonderful time.

I imagine if you are as far as reading this review, the secret of Britain's canals is no secret, but whoever you are, you should find the time in your hurried lives to sit down for a leisurely read of this great book.