
Lifelines
A Journey to the Heart of Our Rivers
John Bailey(Author)
Mudlark (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 21. May 2026
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-0-00-871536-6 (ISBN)
Description
I've trekked all the chuckling rivers on Dartmoor and Exmoor and just forty miles to the east of them ooze the slow waters of the Brue. The famous chalk streams of Hampshire and Wiltshire simply shine in their brilliance whilst an hour's drive away you can view the sluggish course of the Sussex Ouse...
In Lifelines, fisherman and nature writer John Bailey calls upon some of his friends, river experts all, to help draw the definitive picture of Britain's rivers today. From the frenetic upper rivers of Norfolk to the pellucid waters of Driffield Beck, they visit some of the most significant rivers nationwide and explore the fascinating ecology and secret history of the UK's waterways.
Exploring the flora, fauna, fish and other riverbank delights, John sets out to provide a deep insight into the lives of these water courses, great and small, and to enhance readers' relationships with the UK's rivers. Experts and contributors include river campaigner Feargal Sharkey, angler Marina Gibson and our old friend Paul Whitehouse.
In Lifelines, fisherman and nature writer John Bailey calls upon some of his friends, river experts all, to help draw the definitive picture of Britain's rivers today. From the frenetic upper rivers of Norfolk to the pellucid waters of Driffield Beck, they visit some of the most significant rivers nationwide and explore the fascinating ecology and secret history of the UK's waterways.
Exploring the flora, fauna, fish and other riverbank delights, John sets out to provide a deep insight into the lives of these water courses, great and small, and to enhance readers' relationships with the UK's rivers. Experts and contributors include river campaigner Feargal Sharkey, angler Marina Gibson and our old friend Paul Whitehouse.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Illustrations
20 b/w, illus, 16 col plates (8pp)
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
270 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-871536-6 (9780008715366)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2026
Mudlark
€21.76
Not yet available
Person
A lifelong river conservationist, John Bailey taught History and Classics at A level before leaving teaching thirty-five years ago to write, travel, and present programs on fish, fishing and rivers. He has written over 50 books, including our very own How We Fish with Paul Whitehouse, made endless TV and radio appearances and become acquainted with hundreds of rivers in 64 countries. His work (he has been Fishing Consultant on BBC 2's Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing for eight years) has taken him to virtually every watershed in the UK and it is doubtful if anyone has a better working knowledge of the UK's rivers in their entirety.