How to | Start Snorkelling

Photography by Emma and Gordon Taylor

If you’re diving in for the first time, here’s how to get started on your snorkelling adventures

• Exploring rockpools from dry land is a great way to learn about the marine environment and requires no special skills or equipment. Adding goggles or a mask and snorkel to get a closer view is the logical next step – perhaps trying a larger tidal pool, or finding a shallow, sheltered bay with no currents where you can explore in calm, waist-deep water. Relax, take a few slow, deep breaths and then lower your face into the water to enjoy those first few breaths with the snorkel.

• Remember to stay shallow while you build up your experience and confidence.

• Another great way to get started is to join an organised snorkel tour. This will introduce you to basic snorkelling skills while learning about the marine life you see. Many instructors and organisations including The Wildlife Trusts offer guided excursions.

• You can also take a formal snorkelling qualification. This will teach you how to select the correct equipment, assess a site for suitability and build a greater understanding of what it takes to be safe in the water. If you are looking to buy your own mask and snorkel do make sure it’s from a reputable manufacture since cheap, poorly-designed equipment can be dangerous.

You can read more about great places to snorkel around Britain in our feature, ‘Down Under’, in our June issue. It’s an extract from Snorkelling Britain: 100 Marine Adventures by Emma and Gordon Taylor (Wild Things). Readers can get 20%* off and free P&P with discount code SIMPLETHINGS at wildthingspublishing.com

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Nature | Waterways Wildlife

Spring is the time for messing about in boats (or definitely for enjoying and amble or a cycle along the water’s edge). Whether you’re on a canal boat or are land-lubbing, there’s so much wildlife to see along Britain’s canals and towpaths.

In the water

Stop and look down into the water at a quiet spot and you’ll see all manner of waterlife. Look out for smooth newts, which are browny-green with spotted throats and are present in virtually all of Britain’s waterways. Frogs become aquatic in spring, too. Outside breeding season, they mostly live on land, but you might spot one doing breaststroke at this time of year. 

If you’re really lucky you can spot the occasional otter in Britain’s canal network. They tend to live near lakes and rivers, or on the coast but you can sometimes spot them while hunting for food in quieter areas of the canals. 

On the water

Look closely at the still surface of the canal and you might see waterboatmen, skating across the top of the water, particularly when the water close to them is disturbed. 

Mallards, geese and swans are also common sights on our waterway network, sailing gracefully by as their feet paddle furiously and invisibly beneath. 

In the air

Don’t forget to look up and around you while you’re on the canal or wandering along the towpath. Damsel flies and dragonflies love the reeds for breeding and can be seen darting across the water and the towpath, looking for food. 

At dusk, keep an eye out for bats, also on the hunt for insects to eat. They often make their homes in old bridges, tunnels and aqueducts near canals and are particularly in evidence in the spring as they wake from hibernation. 

And - you’ll need to be eagle eyed - but look out for flashes of petrol blue, streaking past your ears to dart into the water for fish. They live in areas of dense cover close to fresh water, and you shouldn’t approach their nests if you do see one, but they’re a sight to behold, flashing through the air. 

On the banks

Ever feel like you’re being watched? Herons stand proudly at the edge of the canals, staring at their fellow water dwellers. They don’t like deep water so tend to perch on the banks or paddle in the shallow waters right at the edge.

There’s plenty of animal life on the riverbanks, too. Water voles make their homes in the steep banks of canals, with tunnels and nesting chambers forming a labyrinth in the banks themselves. Look out for ‘grazed’ areas of grass near the entrances to their tunnels. 

In sandy canal banks, badgers find easy areas to dig and will often establish their setts there. Badger setts are actually a bit of a nuisance for canals as they can cause leaks, which are difficult and expensive to mend, so they will sometimes be ‘moved on’ by the canal trusts.

On the towpath

Watch out for grasshoppers, leaping across your path into the long grass (the clue is in the name, after all). Speaking of which, grass snakes also have dwellings in river banks but are more easily spotted out on the towpaths, basking in the sunshine. If they realise they’ve been spotted, grass snakes will sometimes play dead, a performance which can be fairly Oscar-worthy.

If you’d like to read more about why we all love a canal (and a towpath, too!), don’t miss our feature ‘Steady as you Go’ in our April issue.

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Wellbeing | UK Spa Towns

Thinking of taking the waters? There are around 50 towns associated with springs in the UK, some remaining active, some very much gone to ground. However, these are still well worth a visit.

BATH Take a tour around the Roman Baths, bathe in the geothermal waters at the Thermae Spa and taste the waters in the Pump Room in this World Heritage city.

BUXTON Restore yourself at the luxuriously restored Buxton Crescent Hotel. You can also explore Poole’s Cavern, and sip the water straight from St Ann’s Well in England’s highest market town on the edge of the Peak District.

CHELTENHAM Enjoy the Austen-like atmosphere of this Cotswolds-edge town, renowned for its Regency architecture. Unfortunately, you can’t bathe in or drink the waters these days, however, the Pittville Pump Room, overlooking picturesque Pittville Park, still remains and Cheltenham itself is awash with culture.

DROITWICH SPA Priding itself on being the only saltwater spa town in the UK, its waters come directly from brine springs and contain 30% natural salts – making them ten times more concentrated than sea water. Visit during the summer and you can bob around in the saltwater lido.

HARROGATE Crescent Gardens holds the main attractions, including The Royal Pump Room (housing Europe’s strongest sulphur well, alongside a museum). Nowadays it’s not advised to drink the water.

MALVERN Most of Malvern’s many historic hydrotherapy hotels were converted into schools when the spa industry collapsed. However you can still drink the water: pick up a map from the tourist office and sip from the many spouts and fountains.

The above spa town suggestions are taken from our feature Healing Waters in our September issue. You can read the whole feature from page 52.

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More from our September issue…

How to | Be More Mermaid

Find your inner (and maybe even your outer) mermaid with our guide to living the life aquatic

In our August issue, we meet a ‘real, live’ mermaid (St Ives resident Laura Evans) and we were inspired to be a bit more mermaid ourselves. 

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you be more mermaid in your everyday life.

Find familiarity with the sea

Start by investing in an almanac so you know when the tide times are. No point sitting, combing your hair on a rock if you’re going to be stranded there and have someone offer you a Cornetto when you start to look a bit hot. You need to be on a rock with the spray splashing around you so that you can dive off before any embarrassing Cornetto moments arise. 

Sing sailors to their deaths

No, it’s not ‘nice’ but it must be done when one is a mermaid. And if you sound anything like us in the shower in the mornings you shouldn’t have any trouble luring folk to their deaths at the sound of your singing. 

Build up an air of mystery

Because obviously, if you are a mermaid living on dry land, you are living an amazing, secret double life, so mystery should come easily to you. If it doesn’t, try staring off into the middle distance in a manner of someone hoping to see France from the Isle of Wight. 

 Have good hair

An egg wash will definitely give it shine, but a sprinkling of sand or the odd shell weaved into your locks will go even further towards creating the illusion of a sea-faring life. 

 Use waterproof make-up

Mascara is a particular giveaway of a landlubbing life, when it’s running down your cheeks leaving black rivulets behind it. 

 Feign misunderstanding of the ways of ‘normal’ folk

Look with curiosity upon life jackets. Ponder the umbrella with complete miscomprehension. And - a must - stare at shoes with a complete lack of understanding. If forced to walk, try to keep your ankles together or flail on the sand on your belly as if you’d never seen a leg in your life. 

 Be low key

Go for an ‘undone’ look, with hair down, make up (and clothes, to be honest) minimal, and keep a wild look in your eyes. 

Take a mermaid name.

You could go pure seaside with Ariel or Coralia, or you could go a bit more mystical. 

 Have scallop shells for bra cups

But know when discomfort becomes too much and have something nice and non-wired to slip into when you get home and slide onto the sofa. 

 Eschew talcum powder at all costs

You’re meant to stay wet, you know? Defy the chafe!

More from our August issue…

More magical folk…

Good reasons to live on a houseboat

In our August issue, Pete and Emily Francis showed us around their houseboat and had us all hankering after a life on the ocean wave (or at least a life on the canal). To tempt you to the same, we’ve put together a watertight list of reasons why living on a houseboat is the best way to live. 

1. You never need to declutter. If the item wasn’t essential in the first place, you’d never have brought it on board. 

2. Whenever you’re sick of the view, you can change it. 

3. It’s very hard to have accidents because every surface has a ledge on it. No more broken mugs. 

4. You never have to shout up the stairs when it’s dinner time. Your family will simply see you put dinner on the table from six inches away. 

5. If you fall out with your neighbours you can move house the same day. 

6. You’ll never have trouble falling asleep; you’ll be rocked to the land of nod every night. 

7. And it’s never far to walk to the loo in the middle of the night either. 

8. You’ll save a fortune on ‘calming water sounds’ apps for your wellbeing. 

9. You can legitimately call yourself ‘captain’. And if you make a friend in the boating community you can promote yourself to admiral of the fleet. 

10. And if you ever suffer from dissent in the ranks you can make your family walk the plank. 

If you need any more (sensible) reasons to live on a houseboat, you can read about Peter and Emily’s lives aboard the Navah on page 88 of the August issue or follow them on Instagram at @littlefloatinghome.

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More from our August issue…

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Wellbeing | cold water therapy

Plunging into something a little chilly brings benefits that go far beyond a thorough wake-up call

In our March issue, we’ve looked at the rise in popularity of cold water immersion and some of the benefits it can bring to both mind and body.

You don’t even need a lake or river to swim in; these days, folk are getting wet and wintry in barrels and baths in their garden, and even just dipping their toe into cold water immersion with a quick blast at the end of a morning shower. 

You can read more about it all from page 74 of our March issue. In the meantime, here are a few tips to help you get started on your cold water journey. <Passes you a Thermos and a warm towel>

Ready to take the plunge? Some good preparation will help 

1 Let yourself acclimatise to cold water by slowly increasing the time you spend in it and if you’re swimming outdoors, starting when the water is warmer in the summer and autumn. 

2 Stay warm as long as you can before you go in. Wrap up warm if you’re outside or have a warm shower before you turn the temperature down. 

3 Practise some breathwork to help you keep calm when you get in. Visit wimhofmethod.com for tips. 

4 Take your time getting in, splashing water onto your legs, torso, arms and shoulders before immersing yourself. 

5 You’ll be at your coldest 10 minutes after you come out, so get out while you’re still feeling good, dry off then layer up and keep moving. 

6 Don’t be too brave. If you prefer to wear a wetsuit, then wear one. 

7 If you don’t fancy going the whole hog, try immersing your face in cold water for a few seconds (more than just a splash!). 

8 Have fun! Experiment with water butts, barrels and icy baths, and play music and dance about to distract you from the cold.

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Playlist | Splish, splash, splosh

From messing about on the river to under the sea, this is a soundtrack to joyful times in the water (yes, even the rain...) 

Listenhere: Splish, splash, splosh.

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More from our Ausust issue…

Escape: How to read water

We can look at the same stretch of water every day and not see the same thing twice. How is it that bodies of water can change so much so often? Natural navigator Tristan Gooley solves some of the clues on streams and rivers 

• What happens to a river after lots of rain depends whether it is ‘flashy’ or not. If surrounded by impervious rocks and soils like clay then rain can go from sky to river in a matter of hours but if the surrounding rock is porous, like chalk or limestone, then it can be months before the water that collects in underground aquifers (natural reservoirs) reaches the river. The clue is in the bridges: those in flashy river country will be higher and have supporting pillars to avoid being swept away by floodwaters.
   
• Fancy a wild swim but don’t know the river well? Look for waterlillies, which are rooted to the bed; white ones like shallow, very slow and very clear water, so are more common in ponds but if you do see them on a river, you’re looking at pure, relatively undisturbed water no more than two metres deep. Yellow water lilies prefer deeper water (up to five metres) and will tolerate more flow. But neither can handle the turbulence boats create so they mean a river-traffic-free spot for a dip. 
   
• Deciding where to ford a stream or river can be a tricky business. Moss can help as it only grows well on stable rocks not being moved by the water whereas algae can spring up temporarily. The old saying holds true: “a rolling stone gathers no moss”. As well as showing you where to put your feet, moss is less slippery than algae. If you do fall into fast-moving water, point your legs downstream as soon as possible to avoid hitting your head on something.
   
• One of the loveliest things to see on a riverside walk is a kingfisher. Watch out for a branch or perch overlooking the river with white splashes on it. Kingfishers are territorial birds and once you’ve found its perch it’s just a matter of waiting before you see the bird itself. They are another sign that a river is in fine health.
   
• If you’re crossing a bridge with small children there will inevitably be a demand to play pooh sticks. Depending on whether you want to let them win or not, take note of the following: look down and you’ll see that water flows faster in the middle of the channel than at the sides where there is more friction. So the best tactic is to throw your stick as close to the middle as possible.

Tristan’s latest book is How To Read Water: Clues, signs and patterns from puddle to the sea (Sceptre) 

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