Day 21 - Cotswold Canal - Part I

Our holiday flat is located on the top floor of the building in the background

Yesterday we didn't really have much time to check out Stroud, but our accommodation here, adjacent to the Wallbridge Lock on the Cotswold Canal, did provide us with easy access to what has become a decades-long restoration project administered by the Cotswold Canal Trust (and whose office, ironically, sits at the base of the building our holiday flat is located in).



The canal runs approximately 36 miles from the Severn River at the canal's westerly end to the Thames River near Burford on the easterly end. Stroud sits about a quarter of the way along and demarcates the meeting point of what was originally two separate commercial canal systems, Stroudwater Navigation (west) and Thames and Severn Canal (east).






Today we were going to take a few hours out of our day (remember we are working while we are here, so not all fun and games -- okay maybe a little fun...) and with sunny and warm weather (19 degrees) perfect for walking, we began walking west along the canal.

We didn't really have a map to guide us --  it's not difficult to follow a canal -- but we had no idea where we would stop and turn around or whether we would take a different route back.

The footpath/cycle way is really the old towpath for the canal. The Stroudwater Navigation portion of the canal was completed in 1779 and at that time horses and even manpower were used to tow canal boats containing freight and people using the towpaths.


At the time, the canal provided  a convenient means of transport . As it required water to fill it, they built the canal adjacent to an existing, but non-navigable river (in this case the River Frome). The river also provided water power for the wool mills and so our walk took us past a number of old mills, some of which are still in existence. The first were the Lodgemore and Frogmore Mills at the westerly edge of Stroud.  The Lodgemore Mill has been in existence since the 15th century and by the late 1800s the combined operations were the largest woollen cloth producers in the U.K.  It still produces quality cloth today!

The canal walk eventually leads into areas of open countryside interspersed with smaller villages and towns that were home to these mills. Along the canal we would come to various locks that allowed boats to be lowered as the elevation moved lower on its way to the Severn River (leading into the Irish Sea). After a few kilometres, we arrived in Ebley where the old mill has been converted into municipal government offices. A fantastic re-gentrification project along with new housing built to match the architecture of the mill.


Not much further along we came upon an interesting site. Four people in a make-shift raft wearing life jackets and floating very low in the water. We had to ask what they were up to and it turns out that this weekend there is a raft and rubber duck race to be held on the canal near Stroud. They were just practicing -- actually, I think they were testing to see if it actually floated. Well it did, but not by much!

Eventually we arrived in the town of Stonehouse, and, as it was early afternoon, a pub lunch was in order. To get to the town we had to cross the canal via the Nutshell Bridge which is integrated with some housing that at one time was lived-in by a canal watcher -- essentially a security guard to watch out for non-authorized use of the canal.

The first pub we came upon looked like it would suit us nicely. The Woolpack Inn was a coach stop on the way to Bath from London and it dates back to the 17th century. Angela and I have now learned that even the sandwich lunches are quite large so we split a baguette and chips while enjoying a couple of pints (hers a lemonade, mine a local -- see Ale of the Day).




Our return trip was not going to be back along the canal, but rather an old abandoned rail line that ran parallel to the canal for most of the journey back. What was amazing is that along the way there were planted numerous types of apple trees.  They were planted not for commercial reasons, but rather more as horticultural exhibits...although I have to admit my curiosity had me reaching up and taking bites from various apples along the way.

Eventually we rejoined the canal at Ebley and made our way home in time to finish our working day -- all in all a somewhat serendipitous, random journey of 14 kilometers, but a very enjoyable outing.

Ale of the Day: Otter Ale, Otter Brewery, Luppitt, Devon