‘A search for the soul of England? What planet was I living on? I might just as well have gone in search of a new design of wheelie bin. Or the perfect pork pie.’ When Steve Haywood hits 50, he is galvanised into action. Exploring the English canals on his trusty narrowboat Justice, and the countryside in his classic Triumph Herald, he attempts to delve into what it is that makes the English so, well, English. Happily mixing with the eccentric array of characters he meets along the way, Steve experiences more than his fair share of mayhem, mishaps and, of course, torrential rain. Interspersed with the fascinating story of Tom Rolt, whose own book, Narrow Boat, inspired the founding of the Inland Waterways Association, this funny and forthright tale is summer reading at its best.