My next day out on the paddle.

My next day out on the paddle, and my first time out on the River Stour in Suffolk/Essex.

The first section of the river I will be paddling will be from Catawade to Dedham (and back), and I will be recording this little adventure for my YouTube channel. This will be followed by further visits over the autumn.

A river in East Anglia, the River Stour in Suffolk measures 47 miles long and is one of the more picturesque rivers in the region.

t has been the subject of many painters over the years. These have included Thomas Gainsborough, Alfred Munnings, and Paul Nash.

Probably the most noteworthy was John Constable, who really ‘sold’ the River Stour in Suffolk into the hearts of the nation. Paintings including the 1828 Dedham Vale and the 1821 The Hay Wain currently hang proudly in the National Gallery.

If you’ve seen any of Constable’s paintings, you’ll know just how pretty this part of the UK is. The river rises in Eastern Cambridgeshire and flows through several towns and villages before heading to the Dedham Vale.