The Stroudwater Navigation and the Thames & Severn Canal between them make up a 36-mile navigable route from the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal at Saul Junction via Stroud, the Golden Valley and a tunnel through the Cotswold Hills to the head of the River Thames near Lechlade. Or they would, had they not closed down in stages between the 1920s and 1940s.
The Cotswold Canals Trust has already opened a length of canal near Eastington, restored the portals of the great tunnel at Sapperton, and rebuilt locks in the Cotswold Water Park and the Golden Valley. Thanks to a major grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund the restoration has taken a big step forward with the start of work in 2007 on reopening a six-mile length from Stonehouse through Stroud to Brimscombe – and there are hopes that the Big Lottery Fund will pay to reopen another four miles to connect this section to the navigable canal network at Saul Junction.
Subsequent phases of the restoration will see the eastern section restored, the tunnel reopened, and eventually the canal connected via the North Wilts Canal to the Wilts & Berks Canal, also under restoration.
www.cotswoldcanals.com
