Imagine you meet a guy emerging from a tiny canal barely big enough for a person. He says he's traveling the Thames from source to sea. Intrigued, you offer a drink and some food and he accepts. During conversation he casually mentions the time he unicycled around the world.
I'm just waiting for him to go international, and do one of the really big ones. Like the Mississippi (which can be kayaked from source to sea, so more of an endurance challenge than anything else).
I'm just waiting for someone to accidentally meet him in two different rivers, and able to say: "if I had a pound for every time I stumbled on Ed Pratt in a river, I'd have two pounds. Which isn't much, but it's weird that it happened twice..."
The people who offered you coffee and beans were amazing. It's so great to see people encouraging you rather than questioning your sanity for doing such a challange.
Ed didn't realized the most challenging thing would be to explain to people over and over what he was doing (very friendly people though in this village)
This type of video I'm sure would make even the most pessimistic and cynical person a little proud of Britain and the wonderful community on display. British cities have gone down the drain, but it's lovely to see that out in the countryside people are still absolutely lovely. Every 10 metres he was offered a cup of tea!
To be fair, for us its a little jarring seeing it ever 4 mins, but for him its probably hours, or at least half an hour or so inbetween (other than the village) so it's probably not too bad
No idea why this was recommended to me but I just realised I've spent almost 2 hours watching some guy crawling through what appears to be a muddy stream,, and I've loved every second.
I used to swim in a river not too diffrent so ether youtube knows way too much about me or its just throwing stuff at me untill I like it, and with how algorithms work im starting to think it's the first
I think its a testament to Eds soft voice and southern accent that he can emerge from the swamp like a monster from scooby doo and within minutes people are offering him tea, beans and showers.
@cymikgaming1266it being England helps with that. If I, as a random American, were to do the same, I'd probably get more embarrassing pictures taken than assistance because I'm clearly something of a tourist. Ed is basically doing this in his "backyard", which also happens to be a country that has long prided itself with the "proper English person" ideal of being polite and patient.
@cymikgaming1266…English accent? You mean southern English dialect? Everyone in this video was English, how would an “English accent” (whatever that is) have helped him?
@@BoarhideGamingI think their point was that, if he had done this and sounded (or god forbid, looked) like a foreigner, people would have been far, far less friendly.
Ed, I have issues with your videos - everyone you’ve encountered has been an absolute sweetheart, you’re destroying our international image of being self deprecating humbugs. On a serious note, what a beautiful prospective of our greatest natural wonder. You’re mental but I love it.
I left a comment on the last video about the crab leg you found, being a signal craw fish claw, 21:35 this is the burrows of the signal craw fish, and these burrows contribute to river bank erosion, these holes go way deeper than you could imagine, the signal craw fish is an invasive spicies, tast great tho, just like lobster.
It's amazing seeing the kindness everyone displayed to him. That's what I love the most about these videos. Geowizard's video's are always really great at showing the kindness.
I grew up in the 1980s in a new town called Milton Keynes. Concrete cows, roundabouts, and brutalism etc. But in summer it was great. There was a cycle way called the Redway I could zoom around on my BMX. The town had dozens of little villages around it like this, e.g., Stony Stratford that's been there since the Romans. Open countryside to explore all around it too. Milton Keynes gets a bad rep, but it was great as a kid back then, especially compared to Tooting where I was at primary school. So much to do (I explored London pretty well too mind you, but it's not half as pretty as home counties countryside in summer). We moved to NZ when I was 15. I've only been back to England a few times. I am actually quarter Welsh and quarter Scottish. The rest is English and Italian, so I do not know who to support in international football. I have been to Italy and Wales. But never made it to Scotland. It's on the bucket list, but trying haggis and tripe ain't 😆😁
People inviting you in for tea and having chats along the way aswell as Dave offering you a spare room for the night makes me proud to be British, hospitality at its finest
I did some backpacking in Scotland for 4 weeks and was blown away by how friendly people were, whether it was boiling me water for my noodles and giving me tea or even offering me a place to stay and shower, just so kind. And I'm from Canada and we're known for being friendly but honestly we're not THAT friendly lmao
The random conversation with the baffled bystanders were so wholesome. Massive respect to Dave for giving you a room for the night! It’s so refreshing to see so much kindness and genuine care from people! Here in Australia where I live, everyone just yells and swears 😭😂
I'm also from Australia, and while I can't offer a whole lot, when people are kind like Ed, I absolutely do what I can to help them. In my case, it is ignoring customer service scripts and helping people out however they need
Those people offering you a safe place to stay if you needed to turn back truly warmed my soul (on top of all the other lovely people who said hello, asked what you were up to, offered food/tea). What a lovely town
As someone from Australia, watching this has blown my mind how beautiful the English country is. All those houses look amazing too, this is an amazing series.
6:37 Ed just popping out from under bridges and saying “hi there” to surprised people going abt their days is so wholesome and funny 10:57 living in this neighbourhood seems so lovely, the people are so kind and seem like they would look out for everyone
The people are kind to someone who looks respectable and talks in a way they approve of... It would be genuinely interesting to see the reaction if Devvo waded past in a Burberry wetsuit. 😂
I love how you're passing through people's homes and gardens and no one is cold. They're all socialable, supportive, and it doesn't seem like you feel bad for taking up space with their hospitality. It's the kind of thing I'd love to do one day - I doubt I'll ever be able to do something as physically draining as this, but I'd love to be someone who has a spare room made up, who always has extra coffee and tea to offer. It's hard, as someone who is more vulnerable than Ed probably is. But it's my goal Good luck Ed :) (Also, of course Max Fosh's name is on the boat, that shouldn't suprise me at all)
I know this kind of hospitality from bike trips. You get in touch with others, in camp sites you get invited, you always get a spot to put your tent even if everything is booked already. Do a bike trip through Western Europe, it's fun!
This time last year I considered crypto without much knowledge and decided to have a consultation with a fiduciary, and it was incredibly insightful. I got into the market with 15k, One year and a couple of months in, and I'm up with 550k. I truly cannot stress enough how helpful experts in this field are!
“Is this some kind of new obscure hobby?” “No. Well .. yes ..” Lovely to see your struggle being alleviated by wholesome conversations with random bystanders. And what a great man that Dave is! Faith in humanity restored.
Aye, it reminds me of the town i grew up in, though it seems now that those days are long gone. Nice to see that some places still possess the same quality of people.
@@JeffBilkins When I made my cats be indoors full-time, I brought their favorite scratching log into the garage for them. Many years later, it's still going strong and they still love it.
One of the best series I've ever watched, to be honest. I am more gripped by this budget production of one man in a canoe than just about any multi-million-pound production on Netflix or wherever else.
Everyone in that village was so friendly!! The family who offered you coffee and beans were so kind. It's lovely to see so many kind people in the world 😊
Ed, David Walliams started from Lechlade so he 100% didn't see any of what you've done so far! This is an absolutely epic adventure, so nice to see the support from everyone in those idyllic villages!
There's something so very BRITISH about accepting the "lunatic fringe" appearing covered in weeds from under bridges. Not that Ed fits that description at all - I find him inspiring. Good luck, Ed. I'll be watching every minute.
I love all the reactions from the people you met along the way. They're all dumbstruck when they see you, but when they hear the challenge they're just like ''ah thats cool, well good luck with that then''
As an Englishman, I have a theory on why people are so nice to you, and I say this with the best of intentions. All good English people have a little spark of madness (myself included) and when we meet a kindred spirit we can’t help but embrace that madness. I wish you all the very best of luck and will follow you with interest.
This is what makes me loves England. There's been so much crap in the media about whats happened in this country. But looking at Ed's interactions in Ashton Keyes and elsewhere really shows you the best side of this country. Awesome people ❤😊
The only time I had heard of Ashton Keyes before this, is, it is the name of a ward in Guy's Hospital - upon which I was a renal patient in 2022...! Thank-you Guy's...
Hello Ed, It's always nice to watch your videos. I watched the first and second parts of your river tour. It's great that you repeatedly checked the water quality and pointed out the problem with the plastic. My goodness, I was surprised that it was 10 years ago this year when you set off on your unicycle ride around the world. Where has the time gone? I wish you continued good luck and health. Warm greetings from Germany Dagmar🥰
As I understand it, England has a law about people being free to travel, even crossing propertys. Theres a youtuber that does videos hiking in straight lines across the country an talks about the law. The videos I have watched have gone fine. In the US, you could do this by boat as navigable water is public, but the ground under it can be private. So walking is trespassing but if you can float down your good. There was a court case on this recently. So if this was the US, you would probably have to start where hes picking up his boat. There are people that do the Mississippi every year. Its a long trip. The Tennessee to the Mississippi to the gulf would be longer but easier.
These videos showcase just how beautiful England is. Not only the architecture but also the nature is so charming (even the fields are cute). The people seem so curious and kind. And the background music is so comforting (reminds me of The Great British Bake Off)
Talking to all the people along the way would have been the bigger challenge for me, but everyone is so friendly! Especially the way that one family invited you to have lunch.. Reminds me of Stranger Kitchens
You diverted from the river and went along a leat, which could only ever go through various mills before joining back to the main channel. I'm glad you did though, because the entertainment value increased by 100% 👍 Did anyone else notice that Ed has started to develop webbed feet 😁
One of my favourite series of the year I’ve seen on RUclips. Between this and Geowizard’s £10 in pocket in Cornwall I’ve fallen back in love with the UK and its people.
Really offers hope doesn't it! £10 in my pocket Cornwall was beyond belief, not just the stunning scenery but the people (and eccentrics). In the news and all around it's negativity, but this really isn't a bad country
Sometimes it feels like people are awful. Then you watch a video like this and everyone is just trying to help some random guy complete his personal challenge and make sure he's ok. And it gives you hope. I needed that so thank you
I feel like the best part of watching this is the amount of genuinely nice and welcoming people greeting you and being nice This is just the kind of heartwarming thing that makes me realise humanity isn't lost and there is always gonna be good in the world alongside the bad ❤️
This is one of the most enjoyable things I've seen on RUclips, ever. Also hats off to the Brits in the countryside, some of the nicest folks I've ever met, proven again here.
We watched this 3 minutes after you uploaded, thank you Ed, we had a rubbish christmas with our little boy in a&e with this rubbish cold/flu going around, we had a little relax earlier with a napping boy, and you'd just uploaded. The best part, was that he woke up, and let us carry on watching! Normally he wants cars or it's trouble! You entertained us and the 3 year old. Merry christmas chap, well have another go next year. I also love the great british humility shown in this video, we're alright sometimes. Have a good'un
@@SDDT1 I bet you are the type who scour RUclips for those British Pathé News videos and "old restored footage of London" videos just to make your tiresome and bitter "back when England was England!" comments ad nauseum.
I only recently discovered your videos Ed but they've been wonderful for cheering me up. We hear of so much unpleasantness in the world, and then there's you, wading/paddling/unicycling around pretty much all four corners of it and meeting people who, by and large, are friendly and happy to help. It's very uplifting content. Thank you.
@@AnalogueAbsynthI wouldn’t eat it as a meal myself, but given how he was just a stranger I thing some beans in a bowl is a very reasonable and unobtrusive meal to order. Takes 5 mins, cheap and a nice warm bit of energy.
"The friendliest village in England," my exact thoughts right before you said it, haha. Makes me wanna go walk down the river just for all the really nice conversations with the people 😂.
The thing i love about these grand travel videos is the interactions they get with friendly people. Makes the world seem a little less scary and friendly! Thanks Ed! Earned a subscription from me for sure!
That was epic Ed, I can't quite understand how you got through all that undergrowth in one piece. What a nice chap Dave is that's a very nice gesture to put you up for the night. What a star.
I couldn't be more pleased at the fluke of RUclips throwing EDS videos in my path. I despaired each time I opened up my RUclips at how often I let myself get pulled down into the mire of negative political stuff that's littered my feed. It's too easy to waste time and energy on some of the scary and unpleasant realities in our world. Like a breath of clean, fresh air following Eds adventures. Started going back and watching his earliest content and on up. A properly nice guy, who truly captures the spirit of adventure and positivity. It may take a bit more searching to find such awesome content but I can't imagine the work it takes to have continued contributing for some many years. At such a young age too. Thanks Ed
Watching this from Australia and just astounded by the fact this is even possible. Over here there’d be way too much in the water that it’d be a death wish to even get in at some places
this is still very near the source - there will be a lot more water later on that's why he has the kayak :) the thames is the river that london tower bridge spans it gets wide don't worry!
@landers737 he's not saying they have more water, but that they've got nasty critters in there that'll kill you, eat you, or kill you before then eating you. Same in the states, water moccasins would put a hard "no" on this kind of thing
@@ThePandaKen ah i understand - british myself and ive only kayaked in england and france so not something i thought of! thank you for the insight. do people still kayak in australia? seems scary.
I would say in general, Americans are warmer. Lot of us brits are stereotypically cold and reserved. But I think at heart we are compassionate and curious, especially when encountering something as unique as this. And less likely to escalate things beyond necessary (we hate hassle). I think a lot of americans love their lawsuits and an excuse to showcase their bravadoes, flex their possession of firearms and freedom to create friction. But besides that I think you’re more likely to get a warm smile or a good service in hospitality from an American than you are a brit. Also this is in the countryside mind, you go to a city in UK and you go a whole day without someone even acknowledging your existence.
No, he wasn't clear about it at all. I was one of the people who complained because there was no mention of it being available for free eventually. Whether that was an oversight, or Ed trying to have the best of both worlds, is debatable. I'm sure there are plenty of people who paid because they really thought it was the only way to see part two. If it was the only way to make money from his videos, I wouldn't question it. But when you take into account ads, sponsors, merch and people just donating to support Ed, trying to grab that extra £2 from everyone watching would be an insane move. As you said though, it was clearly a misunderstanding.
@@BlatantFarmer I'm fairly certain I remember him saying this episode will be available to everyone eventually. I was disappointed but left to watch something else but I completely understood what was going on. I think the misunderstanding was on your part, not Ed.
Hi Ed, I think you have to shake one of the reagent bottles of the nitrate test before adding the drops to give the correct positive readings, check on your instructions it’s usually reagent #2 or 3 depending on the kit
A few weeks ago I saw part 1 of this series and enjoyed it. I have since spent many hours following Ed around the world in his unicycle videos. I highly recommend playing through the around the world playlist that he put together. It's quite a journey! You'll love it!
The thing with wet suits is that they work when you’re underwater because the layer of water between your skin and the suit warms up (after some time) with your body heat. They aren’t really meant to keep you warm when out of the water, or when constantly having the inside water changed out because you’re going in and out of the water. Glad you stayed warm enough to make it, despite some cold spells.
Yes there doesn’t appear to be anything on the market that allows for water exploring… total immersion below the belt (wetsuit bottoms?) and a dry suit top perhaps?
Stumbled on this series, and now after watching the sea to source series on the river Parrett, I’m now hooked, I saw something about a chap on a kayak in the local paper here in London, and I’m amazed you had the willpower and motivation to do this trek, well done to you!!
Imagine you meet a guy emerging from a tiny canal barely big enough for a person. He says he's traveling the Thames from source to sea. Intrigued, you offer a drink and some food and he accepts. During conversation he casually mentions the time he unicycled around the world.
how the average village innkeeper feels meeting the D&D party partway through their journey
Right
I'd probably stay upwind
Must have felt like they are NPCs waiting to give side quest to the MC
@@genericuser984 Real haha
The chances of finding Ed in your local river are low but never zero
Watching this I kept thinking of my local river, the Columbia 😂 I don't think he'd dare!
Lol
I'm just waiting for him to go international, and do one of the really big ones. Like the Mississippi (which can be kayaked from source to sea, so more of an endurance challenge than anything else).
I'm just waiting for someone to accidentally meet him in two different rivers, and able to say: "if I had a pound for every time I stumbled on Ed Pratt in a river, I'd have two pounds. Which isn't much, but it's weird that it happened twice..."
Nile River, when?
6:53 "Are you gonna be on the news?"
"I mean, I hope for the right reasons..."
That's such a great response!
The people who offered you coffee and beans were amazing. It's so great to see people encouraging you rather than questioning your sanity for doing such a challange.
All the people from that town looked nice
They are questioning his sanity 😂
They just don’t want to see him get hurt
Beans?
@@Deontjie - He got a bowl of baked beans from them.
Legit seeing this brought my faith back in the uk public, I miss living in a village cause of this atmosphere
Ed didn't realized the most challenging thing would be to explain to people over and over what he was doing (very friendly people though in this village)
@@seakayaker20how do you mean? The people are genuinely one of the most pleasant parts about this all
This type of video I'm sure would make even the most pessimistic and cynical person a little proud of Britain and the wonderful community on display. British cities have gone down the drain, but it's lovely to see that out in the countryside people are still absolutely lovely. Every 10 metres he was offered a cup of tea!
...but that was part of his adventure @@seakayaker20. Why are you watching if you don't want to experience the adventure?
To be fair, for us its a little jarring seeing it ever 4 mins, but for him its probably hours, or at least half an hour or so inbetween (other than the village) so it's probably not too bad
they're all so nice! brings me joy.
No idea why this was recommended to me but I just realised I've spent almost 2 hours watching some guy crawling through what appears to be a muddy stream,, and I've loved every second.
I totally agree 😂
Same here. I'm guessing the YT algorithm recommended as I follow GeoWizard - but it's a new take on the straight line challenge!
Was watching Richard Hammond and this comes on now I wanna buy the episodes
I used to swim in a river not too diffrent so ether youtube knows way too much about me or its just throwing stuff at me untill I like it, and with how algorithms work im starting to think it's the first
😂 same here
I think its a testament to Eds soft voice and southern accent that he can emerge from the swamp like a monster from scooby doo and within minutes people are offering him tea, beans and showers.
its the english accent that saved him
@cymikgaming1266it being England helps with that. If I, as a random American, were to do the same, I'd probably get more embarrassing pictures taken than assistance because I'm clearly something of a tourist. Ed is basically doing this in his "backyard", which also happens to be a country that has long prided itself with the "proper English person" ideal of being polite and patient.
@@jakeking974 umm okay man
@cymikgaming1266…English accent? You mean southern English dialect? Everyone in this video was English, how would an “English accent” (whatever that is) have helped him?
@@BoarhideGamingI think their point was that, if he had done this and sounded (or god forbid, looked) like a foreigner, people would have been far, far less friendly.
"If you're in trouble, you come back here"
I love that. Such nice people.
We whites take care of our own
That woman has such a kind spirit
Ed, I have issues with your videos - everyone you’ve encountered has been an absolute sweetheart, you’re destroying our international image of being self deprecating humbugs. On a serious note, what a beautiful prospective of our greatest natural wonder. You’re mental but I love it.
Go do this in Stoke on Trent or Milton Keynes and watch the difference lmao
There's a massive difference between town and city folk😂
@@danielsmith9476 Not since the town folk moved to the country. We are all mixed up now.
@@danielsmith9476 you try and change anything in a village and watch them turn...
@@lewistumelty There is no need to change anything in a village.
Following the Thames while everyone offers you tea is peak British.
Haha, he hasn't got to London yet
Real
@marktyler3381 That's going to be a LOT of tea then!! 😁
@@PaddyFromPaddistan That's one interpretation
@@PaddyFromPaddistan people will probably offer him cocaine or weed in London 😂
36:28 The dog at first coming to defend his property, then just grabs his big log and growling through the log while wagging was hilarious
One of my dogs is like that with his stuffed animals. He likes to know people are jealous of his fine raccoon.
He was the goodest boy.
Typical labrador behavior lol
Yeah i was thinking "wow yeah very intimidating growl with that log in your mouth lol"
Goldy's are notoriously bad guard dogs😂
@@TheFranchiseCA haha
I left a comment on the last video about the crab leg you found, being a signal craw fish claw, 21:35 this is the burrows of the signal craw fish, and these burrows contribute to river bank erosion, these holes go way deeper than you could imagine, the signal craw fish is an invasive spicies, tast great tho, just like lobster.
I was wondering what they were!
I thought they were water vole holes!
SURELY this is the exact reason RUclips was created. Ed's unique skills are what make this platform so special.
Imagine how many fish you could catch if you couldn't leave the Thames?
Hi carl 🇦🇺
Hey Carl! I loved your latest vids! Wish you all the Best!
@@michaelkitto758 Now there's an idea!
@@Jacko74 Hi mate
Ashton Keynes tourism need to use this video. What a friendly bunch.
It's amazing seeing the kindness everyone displayed to him. That's what I love the most about these videos. Geowizard's video's are always really great at showing the kindness.
@@abbas-aliibnmohammadal-nam929 "curries or tans" I wonder what you mean by that?
I grew up in the 1980s in a new town called Milton Keynes. Concrete cows, roundabouts, and brutalism etc. But in summer it was great. There was a cycle way called the Redway I could zoom around on my BMX. The town had dozens of little villages around it like this, e.g., Stony Stratford that's been there since the Romans. Open countryside to explore all around it too. Milton Keynes gets a bad rep, but it was great as a kid back then, especially compared to Tooting where I was at primary school. So much to do (I explored London pretty well too mind you, but it's not half as pretty as home counties countryside in summer).
We moved to NZ when I was 15. I've only been back to England a few times. I am actually quarter Welsh and quarter Scottish. The rest is English and Italian, so I do not know who to support in international football. I have been to Italy and Wales. But never made it to Scotland. It's on the bucket list, but trying haggis and tripe ain't 😆😁
People inviting you in for tea and having chats along the way aswell as Dave offering you a spare room for the night makes me proud to be British, hospitality at its finest
Such kind people! British hospitality is definitely known in my corner of the world but cool to see it in action
Southern Comfort right there.
Shoutout big Dave, storing the kayak and letting ed use the spare room. Legend
An absolute lad, that one. Ed probably smells like, well, the Thames and Dave still opened his home to him without a second thought.
His dogs were so sweet. And the kayak stored in "gramps shed." Truly the embodiment of a great grandad. Helping out strangers just because.
Dave is a solid, good human being. Be like Dave
I love how quickly Ed decided to take up the offer of a shower and a warm, dry, bed.
Dave is Ed’s hero. Imagine Ed if he had to go without any kayak.
38:51 "GRAMPY'S SHED, Little helpers always welcome" Dave seems like an amazing person!
Honestly, Dave seems like SUCH a lovely chap. People like him are what gives me my faith in humanity back!
I did some backpacking in Scotland for 4 weeks and was blown away by how friendly people were, whether it was boiling me water for my noodles and giving me tea or even offering me a place to stay and shower, just so kind. And I'm from Canada and we're known for being friendly but honestly we're not THAT friendly lmao
I'm from Scotland and have done some backpacking/hiking in Canada. Yes you are friendly. Thanks Canada, happy memories.
The random conversation with the baffled bystanders were so wholesome. Massive respect to Dave for giving you a room for the night! It’s so refreshing to see so much kindness and genuine care from people! Here in Australia where I live, everyone just yells and swears 😭😂
You try to do anything and "What the \\\\ are you doing? Thats the most r\\\\\\\ s\\t I've ever heard
@Lazay-di7gw it’s so F///ing sh// man 😂
Funny how you liked those scenes I fast forwarded through them as I did with kino Yves and his trike journey accross Africa.
@@Wearespurstv same, but I still appreciated that people did it. It is really kind of them
I'm also from Australia, and while I can't offer a whole lot, when people are kind like Ed, I absolutely do what I can to help them. In my case, it is ignoring customer service scripts and helping people out however they need
Those people offering you a safe place to stay if you needed to turn back truly warmed my soul (on top of all the other lovely people who said hello, asked what you were up to, offered food/tea). What a lovely town
As someone from Australia, watching this has blown my mind how beautiful the English country is. All those houses look amazing too, this is an amazing series.
Don’t worry it’s being ruined at a fast pace 👍
It's the richest part of the UK, it's not all like this 😂
@@Undaglibenglaubengloben
Lol from what I hear, that’s true, but then again I live in New England, which itself is being ruined at a fast pace.
Lived in the UK for 7 years and I must admit that this video sums up all the positive and quirky elements that constitute the British character.
What?
Yep. Lots of us just accept perceived eccentricities if they cause no harm.
That and the universal gift of tea 😂😂
@@Ronaldstenson?
@@Ronaldstenson You might have gotten a better response if you bothered to actually ask a question mate. 👍
@@PaddyFromPaddistan I said what as what he said was completely strange you dummy
6:37 Ed just popping out from under bridges and saying “hi there” to surprised people going abt their days is so wholesome and funny
10:57 living in this neighbourhood seems so lovely, the people are so kind and seem like they would look out for everyone
The people are kind to someone who looks respectable and talks in a way they approve of... It would be genuinely interesting to see the reaction if Devvo waded past in a Burberry wetsuit. 😂
@@BlatantFarmer there's probably no black people in that village
If Ed was anything other than White Middle Class, he'd have had the police called on him about 100 times.
People who aren't white middle class don't treat the world with the kind of respect that Ed does, so that makes sense.
@@---cy5ghbollocks
I love how you're passing through people's homes and gardens and no one is cold. They're all socialable, supportive, and it doesn't seem like you feel bad for taking up space with their hospitality. It's the kind of thing I'd love to do one day - I doubt I'll ever be able to do something as physically draining as this, but I'd love to be someone who has a spare room made up, who always has extra coffee and tea to offer. It's hard, as someone who is more vulnerable than Ed probably is. But it's my goal
Good luck Ed :)
(Also, of course Max Fosh's name is on the boat, that shouldn't suprise me at all)
I know this kind of hospitality from bike trips. You get in touch with others, in camp sites you get invited, you always get a spot to put your tent even if everything is booked already.
Do a bike trip through Western Europe, it's fun!
"are you lost?"
"No, i'm exactly where I want to be,
I'm following the Thames from source to sea"
absolute poetry
Tom Bombadil vibes
This is the perfect kind of quote that you would find in a quirkily illustrated children’s book.
timestamp?
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how do y'all even make so much from crypto trading?
“Is this some kind of new obscure hobby?”
“No.
Well .. yes ..”
Lovely to see your struggle being alleviated by wholesome conversations with random bystanders. And what a great man that Dave is! Faith in humanity restored.
This is why I as an American love Britain, the countryside is beautiful and the people are lovely.
40:20 That zoom out to show just how much is left is actually insane
Max Fosh does wacky, bizarre British side quests. Ed Pratt does physical, adventure-type British side quests.
They are the British avengers
And both entertaining to watch! They should do a collab one day 🤩
Pls watch Mitch hutch
We are the British avengers
@@MaxFosh oh hey Max
The British feeling of playful humour and hospitality in this video is beautiful. Proud of these people 🇬🇧
I've never been more invested in a RUclips video (series) in my life. Brilliant stuff
Very proud of the hospitality in the village and shown by Dave. The UK can be wonderful sometimes
Aye, it reminds me of the town i grew up in, though it seems now that those days are long gone. Nice to see that some places still possess the same quality of people.
10:09 "You said you wanted a challenge Ed!" I love this woman! What a zinger!
What I enjoy the most so far is the interactions with the general public, some truly British interactions going on. Lovely content.
The holes at 21:35 are probably made by water voles, looks like there might be footprints in the mud right on the water line.
I came to the comments to find this. Thanks for the info.
aw like a little rat thing, thats cute
Wonder if the person who swims their ferrets on the river also has them go hunting those lol
Or Nutria, they're a huge pain in the Netherlands and Germany, but I dont know, whether they live in England.
Do crayfish make tunnels?
People living along the thames are so nice and respectful!
Fr
height of summer with a sunny day probably helps hehe
lovely tho
and annoying he kept getting stopped didnt travel much during that day
Until you get to london
@wibbliams Beat me to it. These folk are so friendly because its small village. city/town folk are rude AF.
Nice one Dave 38:17 what a great window into the kindness of the English.
That dog with his comfort log was so adorable! 😂
I've never wanted a dog more. lol
I've never wanted a log more. lol
@@JeffBilkins When I made my cats be indoors full-time, I brought their favorite scratching log into the garage for them. Many years later, it's still going strong and they still love it.
One of the best series I've ever watched, to be honest. I am more gripped by this budget production of one man in a canoe than just about any multi-million-pound production on Netflix or wherever else.
Everyone in that village was so friendly!! The family who offered you coffee and beans were so kind. It's lovely to see so many kind people in the world 😊
Ed, David Walliams started from Lechlade so he 100% didn't see any of what you've done so far! This is an absolutely epic adventure, so nice to see the support from everyone in those idyllic villages!
I was scrolling the comments to find put where he started so thank you 😂
Walliams is a horrid man. Ed seems quite nice.
@marktyler3381 agreed 😆
Oh god, I wish you had popped out of the Ashton Keynes overflow in the middle of a kids boat race, that would have been amazing
We were this close to greatness
Dave’s a legend this video series is restoring my faith in the British people .Well done Ed this is working on so many levels
There's something so very BRITISH about accepting the "lunatic fringe" appearing covered in weeds from under bridges. Not that Ed fits that description at all - I find him inspiring. Good luck, Ed. I'll be watching every minute.
I love all the reactions from the people you met along the way. They're all dumbstruck when they see you, but when they hear the challenge they're just like ''ah thats cool, well good luck with that then''
As an Englishman, I have a theory on why people are so nice to you, and I say this with the best of intentions. All good English people have a little spark of madness (myself included) and when we meet a kindred spirit we can’t help but embrace that madness. I wish you all the very best of luck and will follow you with interest.
This is what makes me loves England. There's been so much crap in the media about whats happened in this country. But looking at Ed's interactions in Ashton Keyes and elsewhere really shows you the best side of this country. Awesome people ❤😊
The only time I had heard of Ashton Keyes before this, is, it is the name of a ward in Guy's Hospital - upon which I was a renal patient in 2022...! Thank-you Guy's...
@AddyBittler-okay buddy let’s keep the racism out of here.
Yeah it's nice in the expensive middle class areas
If Ed wasn't white they for sure wouldn't be that nice lol
@@Syntex366what racism?
Sitting in Montana, watching a guy walk down the Thames -- awesome.
In for the rest of the journey...
16:11 ed: I donno how much you can see...
Us: Plenty 😉
🍑🍑
So humble not telling people that are shocked by what you're doing that you have actually ridden a unicycle around the world. Respect
he did WHAT
Those coffee and beans people were amazing. not to mention dave offering you the guest bed love the British being so kind to eachother
Hello Ed,
It's always nice to watch your videos.
I watched the first and second parts of your river tour.
It's great that you repeatedly checked the water quality and pointed out the problem with the plastic.
My goodness, I was surprised that it was 10 years ago this year when you set off on your unicycle ride around the world.
Where has the time gone?
I wish you continued good luck and health.
Warm greetings from Germany
Dagmar🥰
Im so surprised that no one was even remotely angry about what he is doing, instead giving him tea and meals and such. Its amazing!
No doctors or engineers 😅
Only a Karen would be angered by Ed’s remarkable challenge
Well in a village like that there might've been some. But most people are going to be friendly of course.
It’s rural Europe, not Kentucky hillbilly country
As I understand it, England has a law about people being free to travel, even crossing propertys. Theres a youtuber that does videos hiking in straight lines across the country an talks about the law. The videos I have watched have gone fine. In the US, you could do this by boat as navigable water is public, but the ground under it can be private. So walking is trespassing but if you can float down your good. There was a court case on this recently. So if this was the US, you would probably have to start where hes picking up his boat. There are people that do the Mississippi every year. Its a long trip. The Tennessee to the Mississippi to the gulf would be longer but easier.
As a city-dweller, it puts a smile on my face to see how friendly the country folk are of this awesome country!
These videos showcase just how beautiful England is. Not only the architecture but also the nature is so charming (even the fields are cute). The people seem so curious and kind. And the background music is so comforting (reminds me of The Great British Bake Off)
Talking to all the people along the way would have been the bigger challenge for me, but everyone is so friendly! Especially the way that one family invited you to have lunch.. Reminds me of Stranger Kitchens
Finally Part 2, been waiting for that the whole of christmas
you could always chuck him a couple of quid if youre getting impatient between uploads...
You diverted from the river and went along a leat, which could only ever go through various mills before joining back to the main channel. I'm glad you did though, because the entertainment value increased by 100% 👍 Did anyone else notice that Ed has started to develop webbed feet 😁
I just love how politely British everyone sounds, 'Keep calm and carry on' style, it's so heartwarming
One of my favourite series of the year I’ve seen on RUclips. Between this and Geowizard’s £10 in pocket in Cornwall I’ve fallen back in love with the UK and its people.
Really offers hope doesn't it! £10 in my pocket Cornwall was beyond belief, not just the stunning scenery but the people (and eccentrics). In the news and all around it's negativity, but this really isn't a bad country
Sometimes it feels like people are awful. Then you watch a video like this and everyone is just trying to help some random guy complete his personal challenge and make sure he's ok. And it gives you hope. I needed that so thank you
I am always so surprised and delighted when people are kind the way they were to you in this video. How lovely.
Love all the friendly people who are genuinely interested in what you do. I can only imagine how this would've gone in the US...
Probably very similar. Small towns in the US are known for their kindness and hospitality. Now the bigger cities that may be different.
He'd never have been able to set off; he'd have been shot through the door the moment he knocked on somebody's door to ask to store his canoe.
I wonder if someone has done a project like this there before
I dunno wildlife in the US gets dangerous
And that’s not considering the private property nut jobs
If anyone tried to do this in the St John's here in Florida they'd be eaten by alligators 5 minutes in
I feel like the best part of watching this is the amount of genuinely nice and welcoming people greeting you and being nice
This is just the kind of heartwarming thing that makes me realise humanity isn't lost and there is always gonna be good in the world alongside the bad ❤️
I love how genuinely interested and friendly the locals are and try to look out for him.
I don't think I've ever anticipated a RUclips video more. This is absolutely brilliant.
This is one of the most enjoyable things I've seen on RUclips, ever.
Also hats off to the Brits in the countryside, some of the nicest folks I've ever met, proven again here.
We watched this 3 minutes after you uploaded, thank you Ed, we had a rubbish christmas with our little boy in a&e with this rubbish cold/flu going around, we had a little relax earlier with a napping boy, and you'd just uploaded. The best part, was that he woke up, and let us carry on watching! Normally he wants cars or it's trouble! You entertained us and the 3 year old. Merry christmas chap, well have another go next year.
I also love the great british humility shown in this video, we're alright sometimes. Have a good'un
English people are soo gentle ! Sending huge love from switzerland !
@@SDDT1 That must be where you live...
@@SDDT1 I bet you are the type who scour RUclips for those British Pathé News videos and "old restored footage of London" videos just to make your tiresome and bitter "back when England was England!" comments ad nauseum.
I only recently discovered your videos Ed but they've been wonderful for cheering me up. We hear of so much unpleasantness in the world, and then there's you, wading/paddling/unicycling around pretty much all four corners of it and meeting people who, by and large, are friendly and happy to help. It's very uplifting content. Thank you.
Wasn't really keeping track of when the next part would release and I'm glad I didn't, this makes for a nice surprise in the morning.
9:04 is the most British thing ive ever seen
Did they actually serve him a bowl of beans? That's bizarre even for me as a Brit
@@AnalogueAbsynth I think we have to presume that he ordered that 😅
@@AnalogueAbsynthI wouldn’t eat it as a meal myself, but given how he was just a stranger I thing some beans in a bowl is a very reasonable and unobtrusive meal to order. Takes 5 mins, cheap and a nice warm bit of energy.
@@davemonster2 ha, it’s not like we have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner 🤣
It's probably because he's vegan and they didn't have anything else to offer him that he would eat.
Thanks for your really enjoyable content. Love an adventure, so enjoy watching you on yours when I can’t be on one myself! The Severn next?!
Ur the reason he takes 3 business years to upload the next parts to RUclips 💀
I love that dog with the log
"The friendliest village in England," my exact thoughts right before you said it, haha. Makes me wanna go walk down the river just for all the really nice conversations with the people 😂.
The thing i love about these grand travel videos is the interactions they get with friendly people. Makes the world seem a little less scary and friendly! Thanks Ed! Earned a subscription from me for sure!
I love the fact everyone is so friendly and in for a chat.
Lovely people. You forget people like that exist when you live in a city.
28:49 A most exquisite stick appears
29:25 We have lost visual on the stick
30:55 Stick has disappeared :(
Taking that stick to the sea would have been a great side quest.
Stick Nation has been let down
Thanks Ed for highlighting what British people are all about. Friendly, caring and welcoming
Let’s goooo! Time for some leftover Christmas dinner and an amazing chill video!
I love this so much! Its just like a geo wizard straight line mission, but on water!
exactly what i was thinking. It would be a dream if they collab eventually.
yup exactly it's the water version of a straight line mission.
Thanks
The hospitality of those who you met along the way are incredible people
I love how generous and kind people you've never met can be. Wonderful. I am really excited for the next episode!
So far this series is giving me major straight line vibes when that first came out. Cant wait to check out the rest
Wow, the british are so polite. Like half of the video is about you meeting strangers and them being absolutely lovely.❤😂
3:06 that was cool they got the video of you exiting the tunnel and you could use it.
And what a legend, Dave is!
The kindness of everyone was amazing! I didn't expect to feel this good just watching you meet people along the way. How beautiful.
That was epic Ed, I can't quite understand how you got through all that undergrowth in one piece.
What a nice chap Dave is that's a very nice gesture to put you up for the night. What a star.
You brits are just built different. Nothing but respect from this American. Ill be keeping up with this journey as it comes out
I couldn't be more pleased at the fluke of RUclips throwing EDS videos in my path. I despaired each time I opened up my RUclips at how often I let myself get pulled down into the mire of negative political stuff that's littered my feed. It's too easy to waste time and energy on some of the scary and unpleasant realities in our world.
Like a breath of clean, fresh air following Eds adventures. Started going back and watching his earliest content and on up. A properly nice guy, who truly captures the spirit of adventure and positivity. It may take a bit more searching to find such awesome content but I can't imagine the work it takes to have continued contributing for some many years. At such a young age too. Thanks Ed
Watching this from Australia and just astounded by the fact this is even possible. Over here there’d be way too much in the water that it’d be a death wish to even get in at some places
this is still very near the source - there will be a lot more water later on that's why he has the kayak :) the thames is the river that london tower bridge spans it gets wide don't worry!
@landers737 he's not saying they have more water, but that they've got nasty critters in there that'll kill you, eat you, or kill you before then eating you. Same in the states, water moccasins would put a hard "no" on this kind of thing
I was thinking this while watching. The us and aus would make this rather dangerous
@@advoneus yeah it’s one of the few places where it is actually possible to do something like this
@@ThePandaKen ah i understand - british myself and ive only kayaked in england and france so not something i thought of! thank you for the insight. do people still kayak in australia? seems scary.
This kind of friendliness is one of biggest reasons I want to move out of the US. Keep up the hard work brother and stay safe.
You’d have to go to the countryside. We aren’t all this friendly. A lot of us but not all of us
Just don't touch the cities if you come here.
I would say in general, Americans are warmer. Lot of us brits are stereotypically cold and reserved. But I think at heart we are compassionate and curious, especially when encountering something as unique as this. And less likely to escalate things beyond necessary (we hate hassle). I think a lot of americans love their lawsuits and an excuse to showcase their bravadoes, flex their possession of firearms and freedom to create friction. But besides that I think you’re more likely to get a warm smile or a good service in hospitality from an American than you are a brit. Also this is in the countryside mind, you go to a city in UK and you go a whole day without someone even acknowledging your existence.
Everyone giving you a real British welcome is so nice to see 👏🇬🇧❤
Very Quintessentially British. Good show chap.
Part 2! finally those missunderstanding comments thinking you are forcing them to pay for part 2 will stop
I thought that too! I think it was just to get it early?
@@aimeelgray I always thought it was to get it early, which he also said in part 1 i belive
No, he wasn't clear about it at all.
I was one of the people who complained because there was no mention of it being available for free eventually.
Whether that was an oversight, or Ed trying to have the best of both worlds, is debatable.
I'm sure there are plenty of people who paid because they really thought it was the only way to see part two.
If it was the only way to make money from his videos, I wouldn't question it. But when you take into account ads, sponsors, merch and people just donating to support Ed, trying to grab that extra £2 from everyone watching would be an insane move.
As you said though, it was clearly a misunderstanding.
@@BlatantFarmer go to part one 42:11
@@BlatantFarmer I'm fairly certain I remember him saying this episode will be available to everyone eventually. I was disappointed but left to watch something else but I completely understood what was going on. I think the misunderstanding was on your part, not Ed.
Hi Ed, I think you have to shake one of the reagent bottles of the nitrate test before adding the drops to give the correct positive readings, check on your instructions it’s usually reagent #2 or 3 depending on the kit
I only now realise you've got an amazing back catalogue of content on your channel. I'll definitely go on a deep dive the next couple of weeks
A few weeks ago I saw part 1 of this series and enjoyed it. I have since spent many hours following Ed around the world in his unicycle videos.
I highly recommend playing through the around the world playlist that he put together. It's quite a journey! You'll love it!
The thing with wet suits is that they work when you’re underwater because the layer of water between your skin and the suit warms up (after some time) with your body heat. They aren’t really meant to keep you warm when out of the water, or when constantly having the inside water changed out because you’re going in and out of the water. Glad you stayed warm enough to make it, despite some cold spells.
Yes there doesn’t appear to be anything on the market that allows for water exploring… total immersion below the belt (wetsuit bottoms?) and a dry suit top perhaps?
Stumbled on this series, and now after watching the sea to source series on the river Parrett, I’m now hooked, I saw something about a chap on a kayak in the local paper here in London, and I’m amazed you had the willpower and motivation to do this trek, well done to you!!
Dave is a legend