15 brilliant activities to enjoy along the Stroudwater Canal

1. 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫. The Kingfisher Trail is a leisure trail around the Cotswolds featuring giant artist-designed kingfisher sculptures. One kingfisher has roosted at the The Lock Keeper’s Cafe in Wallbridge, Stroud, and another is on the green in Stonehouse, with more flying to the area soon. There’s more information at https://www.kingfishertrail.org/

2. 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗮 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗻𝗶𝗰. There are a number of great picnic spots with plenty of grass along the canal corridor, including Wallbridge (near the double roundabout in Stroud), at Queen Elizabeth II playing field (near Sainsbury’s) and at Ocean (behind the Stonehouse Court Hotel). You could treat yourself to lunch or a takeaway drink at one of the many cafes along the canal route – there are plenty to choose from including Stroud Brewery, the The Bowbridge Arms, the Felt Café, Kitsch Coffee & Wine Bar, Stonehouse Court’s canalside takeaway, the Falafel Pod – and many more in Stroud and Stonehouse.

3. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗼. There are two downloadable themed games to choose from – Wildlife or Heritage. Make sure you shout “bingo” loudly whenever you spot something on the card! http://bitly.ws/dJux or http://bitly.ws/dJwv

4. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸. There are miles of canal towpath to explore, most of which is flat and accessible. There are four downloadable Walking and Cycling trails that will take you to areas close to the canal, as well as some that will introduce you to areas further from the towpath. The themed maps have been developed in partnership with Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership linking the canal corridor to sustainable transport and active travel https://bit.ly/3vXwTBr.

5. 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗸𝗲. The flat traffic free towpaths are ideal for family bike rides. Read the Canal & River Trust’s Towpath Code before you set out, and be mindful of other towpath users http://bitly.ws/dJvE

6. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹. Will you take the Nutshell Trail, Vineyard Trail, Alpaca Trail or Ice cream Trail? Each walk is circular, and starts at either Stroud or Stonehouse train stations. https://bit.ly/3vKcvTX

7. 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗻. There are lots of resident swans along the canal, one swan family with a brood of cygnets can often be seen around Ocean.

8. 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱. Network Rail will be replacing the existing (very small) bridge at Ocean later this year with one large enough to enable boats to pass through. The new bridge has been cast onsite and the monolithic pieces can be spotted from the towpath if you walk through the tunnel at Ocean.

9. 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁 with our downloadable Wildlife ID booklet. It’s full of interesting facts so you can learn more about our local species, and has space for you to record the animals, plants and field signs you see. http://bitly.ws/dJux

10. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. There’s one by local artists’ collective OK Let’s Create Stuff on display at Stroud and Stonehouse train stations, and a community exhibition of people’s art, poems and thoughts about the canal displayed on the Cotswold Canals Connected canal side notice boards.

11. 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 & 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲. When you walk through Haywards Bridge (under Horsetrough roundabout near Ryeford) you’ll set off an interactive light and sound display created by sound and light artist Jack Wimperis and Miniature Museum. Watch out for the shark on the wall.

12. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀. Audio post have been installed using canal artefacts at Blunder Lock and Ocean by Miniature Museum.

13. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 and tag Cotswold Canals Connected on social media. We’re on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter & we’d love to share them!

14. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 on the interactive Cotswold Canals Connected community map. Use the map for inspiration, or share your photos and video to inspire others. The map means the canal and canal-based activities are available to people that can’t be there in person, including those who are still shielding http://bitly.ws/dJx8

15. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴? If the weather takes a turn for the worse you can always watch the comings and goings along four canal routes on a canal webcam https://www.stroud.gov.uk/…/brimscombe-port/canal-webcams

Many of the activities were part of the May `slow canal trail’ to celebrate the beginning of the final stage of canal restoration which will connect the Stroudwater canal to the national inland waterways network.
Follow Cotswold Canals Connected on social media, or by regularly checking the website to keep up to date with what’s happening along the canal.