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Our Director publishes a book about the River Dart

Blog News Art River Dart
1st May, 2026
by Katie Tokus | 5 Min Read
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Canoe Retreats on the River Dart
Julian Carnell, Director of The Sharpham Trust, has published his new book Becoming The Ocean, about the River Dart

Julian Carnell has published a new book about the River Dart and Sharpham called Becoming the Ocean: A River Dart Journey Through the Wild, the Ancient and the Sacred. 

The book is available in our retreat venues at Sharpham and online too, where a £1 is donated to the Trust for each one sold. 

Here, he talks about his book, his inspiration and purpose.

 

Buy the book here
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Becoming the Ocean: Julian introduces his new book

A lifetime alongside, and on, the River Dart has inspired Sharpham Trust Director to write his book Becoming The Ocean.

Here, he introduces his book, his reasons for writing it and shares some of what's inside.

 

What is your book Becoming The Ocean about?

It combines travelogue, history, wildlife and memoir.

I’ve tried to take someone who, perhaps, knows nothing about the Dart, or this part of the world, on a journey down the river from its source to the sea. And through this journey, we get to explore the amazing historical characters and events which have had impacts far beyond South Devon.

We discover the problems facing the river and the wildlife that relies on it and through this I explore our relationship with the natural world and the philosophical approach we have developed at The Sharpham Trust in response.

Saltmarsh to the left of Sharpham Point
Ern Stock

What led you to write about the River Dart?

The state of our rivers was starting to be highlighted nationally and then I discovered that only 58 salmon were recorded in the Dart during a whole year - which seemed incredible.When I was a boy it would have been thousands. What had happened?

I decided something needed to be done so I started talking to people and pestering them, which led to the creation of the River Dart Catchment Partnership. I realised I needed to understand the problems better, so I set out on a pilgrimage to walk and canoe the length of it, from high on the peatlands of Dartmoor, through the lowlands and along the estuary down to where it joins the sea at Dartmouth.

As I spent my weekends doing this, I started to write about what I had found and I realised that this was not just a story about our rivers but also our whole relationship with the natural world. It connected with our work at Sharpham and our efforts to connect conservation and mental health in a more holistic approach.

The story of the Dart is emblematic of all our rivers and the current challenges facing wider society.

Had you always wanted to write a book?

I suppose so but it’s the cliché of needing to find the time.

I guess I needed the motivation of wanting to do something to improve the state of the river, as well as the opportunity to describe the 'Sharpham Approach'.

In the book I talk about the travel literature that inspired me when I was young, with writers like Bruce Chatwin, where the journey is really a quest for insight beyond simple tourism. Writing the book enabled me to synthesise my thinking about the causes and issues which underly the problems with our rivers.

The writing process is a discipline which forces you to look for clarity. At the same time, I wanted to combine facts and stories with a poetic sense so the narrative wouldn’t be too dry or academic. I have deliberately tried to make the book accessible and offer something for everyone, I hope.

The River Dart from The Sharpham Estate, looking up towards Totnes, at dusk in spring. By Sybille Pouzet
Sybille Pouzet

What were the key things you discovered during this book's creation?

First and foremost, the true benefits of spending time in nature, which is just as well because the Trust’s mission is to connect people to the natural world!

Even in our nature-depleted landscapes, I felt the uplifting power of nature, particularly in what remains of our wilder places. You can sense that unbroken connection to our ancestors, across the generations, who lived intimately with the wildlife and habitats around them.

In terms of the problems assailing our rivers, I haven’t met anyone who didn't support restoring them to excellent health. We know what needs to be done - the issue is how to make it happen.

With the public anger about pollution, we have an opportunity, not just to improve water quality, but to address the widespread decline of the natural world that we are part of. Our rivers could be the catalyst for systemic long-lasting change.

What’s next following the publication of your book?

The Wild Dart Partnership is going from strength to strength. We published our Action Plan for the river last year and we are now working on securing the funding to develop the partnership and implement changes.

This means rewetting the peat on Dartmoor, planting trees along the river and its tributaries, helping landowners and farmers manage water on their land, empowering communities and volunteers to care of the river and making sure our waste doesn’t end up polluting the river.

This is a 10 to 20-year project but it is achievable, if we can get the various government organisations, community groups and landowners working together with shared objectives.  

Becoming the Ocean is available for sale in the following places:

£1 is donated to The Sharpham Trust for each copy ordered directly from the publisher, using the links above

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