UK GUIDEBOOKS
'Scottish Canoe Classics' by Eddie Palmer
'Eddy has chosen his favourite twenty-five inland touring routes and described them in loving detail. The routes are beautifully illustrated with numerous colour photos and specially commissioned maps.
The selected routes are suitable for open canoes, sit-on-tops and touring kayaks. Many of them are multi-day trips that can be tackled as a single voyage or a series of day trips. Great variety is provided, the journeys taking place on inland lochs, sheltered sea lochs and rivers of up to Grade 2. A wonderful book for planning, dreaming of future voyages, or sharing your experiences with non-paddling friends.'
'Scottish White Water: The SCA Guidebook' Bridget Thomas (Editor)
The SCA have now released the second edition of their fantastic guidebook. Essential for boating north of the border.
'Scottish Canoe Touring: An SCA Canoe and Kayak Guide' ed. Eddie Palmer
Excellent guide to easy paddling opportunities within Scotland.
'English Whitewater', edited by Franco Ferrero
The most thorough England guidebook yet, including the first proper guide to the rivers of the Southwest and the playspots of the Thames valley and Midlands. Essential for paddling in England.
SEA GUIDEBOOKS
'South West Sea Kayaking' by Mark Rainsley
Hey, I wrote a book!* Here's the promotional blurb ...
'The south-west coast of England is described in 50 great sea kayaking voyages, from the Severn Estuary to the Isle of Wight. This book also presents all the navigational and tidal information a sea kayaker needs on this magnificent section of coast. This means that it can also be used as a kayaker's 'pilot' for any journey they might wish to undertake in this area.It follows the successful format of other Pesda Press sea kayaking guides, presenting the information in a user-friendly fashion and making lavish use of maps and colour photographs.'
*'I' being the editor of this website.
'The Northern Isles Orkney Shetland Sea Kayaking' by Tom Smith and Chris Jex
'A sea kayakers guide to the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Their relative isolation, stunning scenery and Norse history make Orkney and Shetland a very special place. For the sea kayaker island archipelagos are particularly rewarding none more so than these.
Illustrated with superb colour photographs and useful maps throughout, this book is a practical guide to help you select and plan trips. It will provide inspiration for future voyages and a souvenir of journeys undertaken. As well as providing essential information on where to start and finish, distances, times and tidal information, the book does much to stimulate interest in the environment. It is full of facts and anecdotes about local history, geology, scenery, seabirds and sea mammals.'
'Welsh Sea Kayaking' by Andy Biggs and Jim Krawiecki
Excellent well presented guide to paddling Welsh shores. An improvement on the Scottish guide (below) as it covers the coast more thoroughly, with more tidal and pilotage information. Lovely pics too. Essential!
'Scottish Sea Kayaking: Fifty Great Sea Kayak Voyages ' by Doug Cooper and George Reid
Describes fifty trips in Scotland, gorgeous photos. Essential for UK sea kayakers, whether or not you are into following other peoples' directions on the sea.
'Oileain' by David Walsh
Gorgeous and lavishly illustrated guide to Ireland's islands. Recommended, it'll make you want to go there.