John Coombes

Meandering on Rivers and Canals in Devon (Meandering Walking Series) (Volume 3) John Coombes

There is always something special about setting out on river or canal walks. The views along the rivers are always on the change and there may be fast flowing water over a weir or slow and babbling along the lower terrain. The rivers tend to twist and turn through the ever changing countryside with there bright colours and rich green fields. If they run into any obstacles then they go straight through them or change route and go around so always changing the scenic back drop of the countryside. The wildlife can be very exciting along the rivers with fish, kingfishers, herons and on some rivers even otters, all of which can just disappear into the background and almost go unnoticed. Then there is the canals which are usually much straighter designed stretches of water, because they where used for transporting cargo from the work place to the docks. Now mostly used by narrow boats for pleasure they set out at a much slower pedestrian pace, this makes it a very tranquil walk along the tow-paths of the many canals. But again the wildlife just seem to fit in and adapt to there surroundings.