Restoration of the Stroudwater Navigation and Thames & Severn Canal

The Stroudwater Navigation and Thames & Severn Canal once formed a vital commercial artery through Gloucestershire, linking the Severn to the Thames. Today, a restoration project is gradually bringing sections of this 18th-century waterway back to life - and it's genuinely worth following if you're staying in the area around Stroud.

Walking the towpath reveals what the canal looked like in its working heyday. You'll encounter original lock chambers, restored stretches of water where wildlife has already returned, and information boards explaining how boats once moved coal and cloth through the Cotswolds. The work is ongoing rather than complete, which means you're partly seeing a living conservation project, not a finished museum piece.

History enthusiasts will find this absorbing - the engineering alone is impressive. Walkers get a decent route that doesn't demand scrambling or navigation skills. Kids might manage short sections, though don't expect theme park excitement; it's quiet, contemplative stuff.

Gloucestershire has excellent holiday parks within easy reach - Middle Lypiatt Glamping sits just two miles away, while Painswick Glamping and Cherry Tree Glamping are all under five miles. Stroud itself is a proper market town with independent shops and cafes, worth an afternoon when you've finished the towpath.

The canal restoration is free to explore. Give yourself two to three hours for a meaningful walk; early morning or late afternoon tends to be less crowded. Spring and autumn are nicest - summer can feel a bit humid in the valley.