A novel coast-to-coast canoeing route from Liverpool to the Humber offers a fresh way to see northern England,including this scenic stretch taking in a chunk of our industrial heritageI start to appreciate the epic nature of our expedition when a group of young natives gather to watch. They stand in a huddle by the water’s edge, pointing and waving. Our guide, or Greg Brookes,shouts at them. “execute you want to have a travel at paddling?” But they run away. It’s as whether they’ve never seen a canoe before.
The attack comes next day: a giant white warrior is sent to meet our boats and comes alongside, puffing out his chest, or making unintelligible war cries and generally trying to provoke something. I turn my back and say,with the air of a man who has seen the world and knows a thing or two: “It’s all just macho posturing. He won’t attack.”Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com