Steve Haywood Books

This charming guidebook offers a delightful exploration of Britain's diverse canal network for waterway enthusiasts. Beautifully illustrated, it reveals extraordinary and surprising locations along the 3,000-mile-long network of canals and rivers. Wherever you are in the country, there’s likely a nearby wonder waiting to be discovered. Canal cruising experts Steve Haywood and Moira Haynes enliven the waterways with their witty prose, highlighting lesser-known gems and secrets of Britain’s canals. Notable wonders include historic Hungerford in Berkshire, where William of Orange was offered the crown after the Glorious Revolution; the iconic Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which soars 126 feet above the River Dee; and Hest Bank, where the canal runs close to the seashore, allowing you to smell the seaweed from your boat. Alongside personal anecdotes and insightful commentary on Britain’s heritage, the guide provides practical recommendations to enhance your visits. This book is perfect for your car or backpack, helping you find idyllic picnic spots or ideal day trips for a long weekend.

"A tribute to Britain's canals, rivers and countryside, and a celebration of Britishness in all its eccentric glory, Tales from the Tillerman recounts Steve's escapades up and down the country, and his life-long love affair with boats and the waterways. Haywood imprints his inimitable humour on his descriptions of the people and places he meets along the way.--BBC Countryfile magazine Steve Haywood has been cruising the inland waterways for fifty years, and has amassed a following of readers keen to hear about his travelling tales on Britain's beautiful canals and rivers. His previously published books - Narrowboat Dreams, One Man and a Narrowboat, Too Narrow to Swing a Cat and Narrowboat Nomads - have all been hugely enjoyed by those with a desire for a narrowboat narrative told in Steve's witty, charming style. Tales from the Tillerman is Steve's next title and is both his tribute to Britain's canals, rivers and countryside and a celebration of Britishness in all its eccentric glory. Unlike Steve's previous titles, which have each focussed on one particular journey that Steve has taken, Tales from the Tillerman is casting the net wider and drawing from his full fifty years of experience, recounting the many hair-raising escapades he's had up and down the country and reflecting on how the country and the cruising landscape has changed in those fifty years. Anecdotes and light-hearted rants aplenty, mixed with some tall tales and a smattering of the nostalgic, in Tales from the Tillerman you'll be thoroughly entertained as a middle-aged man (oh, go on then, an old one) reflects on his long love affair with boats and waterways, contemplating their importance to his life and how they've changed it"--Publisher's description