Some things in life take you by surprise when they change, they cause you to rethink everything.

For me; lockdown has taken me to some dark places. I’ve always struggled with my mental health, it’s about time I face it head on.

so (lockdown permitting*) on the 1st of July I will be heading to the Cambrian Mountains in Mid Wales with my Paddleboard, to the source of the River Severn, at an altitude of 610m, to begin the trip of my life.

(*If i am not allowed to enter Wales due to Covid-19 lockdown regulations, i will be starting my journey on the welsh/english border with a view to complete the Welsh leg after the restrictions are lifted)

I will then walk and paddle my way down to Newtown. Continuing on to Welshpool where i will have my first social meeting with some old friends and paddle through Shrewsbury together, before heading south to paddle under the iconic Iron Bridge and on to Worcester and Gloucester before arriving at Bristol, therefore completing the 220 mile Source-to-Sea of the River Severn.

From there I am going to follow the Bliss Canoe Trail, which will take me on an 862 mile circuit, around England, finishing back in Shrewsbury with a total of just over 900 miles under my belt.

This route will take me along the Avon, through Reading, Slough, and Staines. Out of Staines I will join the Thames and head up to Kew Bridge where I will about face to join the Grand Union Canal.

The Canal will take me through Milton Keynes and past Northampton before I break off on the Leicester Section headed for Nottingham, where I will join the River Trent. Paddling all the way up to Scunthorpe, then west on the South Yorkshire, and northwest to Leeds and Bradford.

Once on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, I will head through Wigan and Manchester, aiming to join the Bridgwater Canal to get me to the Runcorn Bridge. From there it’s; Ellesmere, Chester, Crewe, and the Welsh leg back to Shrewsbury.

I’d love the opportunity to promote the therapeutic and social aspects of paddlesports as part of both my spiritual and geographical journey, and so I would treasure the opportunity to meet up with you all; paddle clubs, families, and solo paddlers alike. You can follow my journey on Facebook and Instagram at “howardsadventure”, and when you see me heading your way you can grab your boat, your board, your friends, and join me for a while or just pop down to the water and have a chat.

My hope is that all you lovely people out there will share this story with your friends, share my posts on your social media’s, and maybe even come and join me out on the water as I pass through your part of this, our beautiful country.