A little bio about me!
I was born and raised in Nottinghamshire, England in 1963. In a family of five lads, I was the second to last, obviously there was little telly in them days!
Most of my childhood was spent growing up in a small village called Gunthorpe on the banks of the river Trent, and I think it was this close proximity to the river and surrounding flooded gravel pits that was ultimately responsible for my love of water. Holidays on the Norfolk Broads on motor cruisers with my parents and brothers also played their part!
In my teens, a friend and I would often sleep out overnight at a local gravel pit, equipped with only a couple of sleeping bags. We would often erect shelters and light a fire and enjoy some outdoor cooking, which often amounted to nothing more than a couple of Pot-noodles, bliss! These times outdoors were always adventures and I remember them fondly. The love of nature and being outside I think came from these early adventures as a teenager.
I have long enjoyed walking and mountain-biking in remote areas, but it was only, at the beginning of 2007 that I discovered another love, open canadian canoeing. Inspired by Ray Mears and from watching his "Bushcraft" television programmes, especially "Canoe Journey" and the "Birchbark Canoe" episodes!
I am a complete Norfolk Broads nut, it is my favourite place in the UK, and having spent many holidays there, both on motor cruisers and sailing yachts, I know the place very well! Well I thought I did! When we visited there last year and started to explore in the canoe, I began to realise how much I had not seen. That is why I like the canoe, it takes you to the places that most will never see, in the most serene and natural way possible!