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Cotswold Canals
 | The RouteThe route covers
> Cotswold Canals
Including
> Stroudwater Canal
> Thames & Severn Canal
> Cirencester Branch |
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 | DVDGreat DVD showing the Cotswold Canals.
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Cotswold CanalsThis name is used to describe the combined route of the Thames and Severn Canal and the Stroudwater Navigation which once provided a through route from the River Thames to the River Severn. The route is being restored when it will again be possible to navigate from Thames to Severn. |
 Thames & Severn CanalThe Thames and Severn Canal starts at the junction with the River Thames at Lechlade. This is the practical limit of navigation for boats heading upstream on the Thames. Although the statutory right of navigation on the Thames extends to Cricklade the passage can only be made in very small boats and canoes.
At the roundhouse to the west of Lechlade the Thames and Severn Canal diverges to the right and climbs through locks 44-42 to reach Dudgrove and a long pound. Climbing through locks 41-40, where a short new section of canal will be required as the original routes has been lost in a road scheme, we reach the junction with the North Wiltshire Canal (also under restoration) near Latton.
The canal continues the climb through locks 39-29 when the summit level is reached. The former Cirencester Branch diverges to the right at the start of the summit level. There are no plans to restore this branch.
Sapperton Tunnel is at the end of the Summit Pound. Some 3817 yards (3490m) long this was the longest canal tunnel at the time of its construction.
Shortly after the tunnel the descent begins towards the Severn from lock 28, passing the roundhouse near lock 13, to lock 1 at Stroud.
The canal and railway both run close together towards Stroud as they share the valley of the River Frome. Finally the canal meets end on with the Stroudwater Canal near Stroud. |
 Stroudwater CanalThe Stroudwater Navigation starts on the outskirts of Stroud where it meets the Thames and Severn Canal. It descends through locks 1-10 until the line of the canal is blocked by the M5 and A38 roads. Restoration of the canal will require a route to be found under these roads.
After lock 11 the canal reaches Saul Junction where it meets the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. Today you can navigate south to Sharpness where a lock allows access to the tidal River Severn or north through Gloucester to the rest of the canal network.
The Stroudwater Navigation once continued beyond Saul Junction to make its own connection with the River Severn. There are no plans to restore this section of the canal, although you can still walk along most of the route and enjoy the fine views over the River Severn.
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 HistoryThe Stroudwater Canal was opened in 1779 from the River Severn at Framilode to Stroud. In 1789 the Thames and Severn Canal completed the link to join the River Thames at Inglesham near Lechlade.
This included the construction of Sapperton Tunnel some 3817 yards (3490m) long which was the longest canal tunnel at that date. Even now there are only 2 longer tunnels in this country.
Competition from the developing railways closed the canal east of Chalford in 1893. Some restoration work continued in the early 1900s but the canal was formally abandoned in 1927.
In 1966 British Waterways undertook a study into the benefits of restoration, commissioned by Gloucestershire County Council.
Now the Cotswold Canals Partnership is working to restore navigation from the River Thames to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. |
 | Photo GalleryTake a virtual cruise along the Cotswold Canals. |
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