Just Add Water

An inspiring guide to activities and adventures to re-energise and boost your mood, by our rivers, lakes and canals.

While Britain's rivers, lakes and canals have long been co-opted by fitness enthusiasts for the physical benefits they can bring, it's only relatively recently that we've given much thought to their impact on our mental state too. 'Blue health' – the idea that having access to an area of water can benefit a person's whole wellbeing – is gaining traction. These waterside places are fundamental to the kind of stuff people now realise they need in their lives – exercise, solace, natural beauty and new places to socialise – with so many of them on our doorstep.

Just Add Water is your guide to the many mood-boosting and wellbeing activities, adventures and escapes that our inland waterways have to offer. Nearly 200 destinations are featured, organised into 15 core activities, covering the length and breadth of the UK, making this the ideal companion for anyone planning a day trip or boating holiday.

Expert journalist Sarah Henshaw explains how the activities can re-energise, inspire and relax, weaving their wellbeing benefits with practical information to help you get the most out of each experience. Accompanied by stunning images, the handbook includes everything from mudlarking to wild swimming, fishing to foraging towpath hedgerows, paddleboarding to learning how to paint canal folk art. There are also inspirational first-hand accounts of the many ways our waterways have made a difference to people's day-to-day lives – including a high-flying exec who finds commuting by water a great way to manage stress.

This guide showcases the multiple ways to be on, in, under or next to water, and how it can enhance the whole spectrum of lived experience.