I love a good bookshop. In fact it doesn’t have to be a good bookshop – I just love bookshops. I love being surrounded by books. I often think about whether I should have become a librarian as I think I would’ve loved helping people find what they are looking for and the sense of order, making sure everything is put back in the right place. Some people might say I’m too loud to be a librarian though – would I cope with the fact that libraries are quiet, peaceful places?! I once didn’t get a job because I was “too bubbly”, whatever that means, but I think I’ve definitely changed as I’ve got older and would appreciate a sense of calm while I worked.

Anyway, I digress. I love bookshops and London has some great examples. Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street is a very Instagrammable. Foyles on Charing Cross Road, which moved up the road from its original location, is a fab place to while away a few hours. Piccadilly Waterstones is always moving things around without updating their directory so I find myself going up and down the stairs more than I would like to.

I’m also a sucker for a secondhand bookshop. When on a damp and cold trip to Ramsgate last year we discovered Michaels in Ramsgate. Their transport section was hard to drag myself away from without buying more books than I would want to carry home. Closer to home, I’ve been a fan of Bookmongers in Brixton for a long time, and it’s as famous for its resident dogs as much as it’s great selection of books. I love mooching around Hay-on-Wye – apparently the world ‘s first book town.

If you’ve ever wandered along the canal behind Kings Cross Station you may have come across Word on the Water – a bookshop on a canal boat. I’ve walked past many times over the years, but until this weekend I’ve never been aboard. I’m not steady on my feet on solid ground so I’ve always been a bit nervous about clambering onto a boat, even if it’s designed for regular folk to embark. I don’t know if they’ve made changes recently, but the entrance felt more welcoming which is what prompted me to take a look on Sunday.

It was a tad cosy onboard and I do wander whether they control numbers at times, but it felt like being in someone’s library rather than a book shop. Armchairs dotted around and cosy corners with cushions for you to take a rest with a book, by the fire if you’re lucky. Obviously they don’t have the biggest selection of books due to its size, but they cover a lot, with a large selection of secondhand books and plenty to keep the kids entertained too. I managed to leave my current read, Miriam Margoyles’ ‘This Much Is True’ on the train on Saturday so I’m keeping an eye out for a new copy of that (I’m hoping I’ll find a secondhand copy somewhere) but wasn’t lucky on this trip.

I did feel a little wobbly at times, probably when other boats went by or people were moving around onboard, but I reckon if I curled up with a book I’d quickly forget I was on a boat and enjoy the comforting surroundings. They are open everyday, come rain or shine, apart from Christmas Day so if you’re nearby it’s worth popping in. You can also support them, or your other favourite local bookshop, via Bookshop.org as an excellent alternative to that online bookseller who I will not name. Get your next read delivered to you at home while supporting independent bookshops and ensuring their future on the high street.