Along the (disused) Grantham Canal - in the rain!

A walk along part of the disused Grantham Canal. I could have stayed in the car, as it was raining (and thundering). I'm glad I walked though

I started at Cotgrave Country Park, where the canal still has stretches of water...

...and plenty of lush greenery

The locks here have been restored

... but as you can see, the canal is very overgrown and completely unnavigable ahead.

The towpath is very well maintained (it's part of the cycle network) and would be very suitable for wheelchair users

I liked the mileage markers - 5 miles away from Nottingham here. And 28 miles away from Grantham, at the other end.

Very misty and rainy, but the canal looks well-kept just here

This is one of the problems facing the Grantham Canal Society, who are working for restoration. The old humpback canal bridges have been flattened, with concrete culverts now taking the water through. No room for boats, so all the bridges would need rebuilding!

Away from Cotgrave Park, the locks are in a much worse state

Overgrown lock sign 

The towpath narrows, but it is still well maintained: the canal (left) is very overgrown here

Distant hills through the murk!

Though the canal bed is overgrown, there are plenty of plants and wildlife. 

 I think this is the year of the cowparsley!

Another flattened bridge over the canal - this time complete with a rather over the top pedestrian crossing

The society's sign is rather worn now.

Beautiful yellow flags

 Some of the locks still have their original numbers.

Teasels


Looking back towards the thunderstorm, you can see a newly built section of the A46 with the traffic sending out spray.

Here the canal bed is clearly visible (the sign is a gantry on the A46).

It's great to see that the new section of road has been raised high enough to take a canal boat underneath: restoration would be impossible if it hadn't. The new bridge is number 18a

Under the bridge, the clay puddling is very clearly visible. All canals are lined (puddled) with clay to stop the water leaking out and just sinking into the ground.

Under the old bridge, number 18.

At this point, I turned back home, taking a slight detour on the way back past a fishing pond complete with fluorescent scarecrows. Didn't scare away the rain though!

Although I was soaked through when I returned to the car, I was so glad I walked along this beautiful canal .I left feeling awed by the huge task facing the Grantham Canal Society but full of hope that they will one day succeed. I also made a small donation to their website: you could do the same, here.

Today's route: I parked at Cotgrave Country Park, just off the A52 near Radcliffe on Trent, and then walked East towards Cropwell Bishop, turning round as I reached the A46. About 5.5 miles. I wanted to keep going but the rain dictated otherwise! recommended walking. As far as I can tell, it seems the whole canal provides suitable walking

A ruined mansion in a secret valley

Woodchester Valley, near Stroud, Gloucestershire was for years a secret valley, with no public paths through it at all. 

People have only been allowed there in the last 20 years. - It's free to visit

Even though there's now a small play trail,...

...it remains an unspoilt hidden valley

With this wonderful surprise in the middle - a ruined Gothic mansion

Built on the site of an earlier house, this grand mansion was never finished, and became a ruin...

- those windows have no glass in them 

It's now run by the Woodchester Mansion Trust.  You have to pay to visit - even if you are a National Trust member

But (ahem) you can get quite a good look if you visit the cafe!

The steep-sided valley provides a lovely walk

Jacobs sheep and traditional cattle graze meadowland undisturbed for centuries 

There are some pools, and a boathouse,...

...and just the teeniest glimpse of a tower in the trees. Walking here is like being in a fairy tale - we even saw ravens

Back at the mansion - it's being "restored to its ruined state", bizarrely.

It's a fair walk, so there is an hourly bus,

...but the walking is much more rewarding.

There are several waymarked trails - you can download a nice one here before you come. It's 3.5 miles. 

A fabulous place to visit. We combined it with a walk to Hetty Pegler's Tump - a Bronze Age barrow which you can climb inside - best if you have a torch for that! We parked at the Woodchester car park for both walks.

Today's walk: We followed most of the pink waymarked trail above. There's also a shorter 1.5 mile walk, or a longer 5 mile one (purple on the map, but I can't find it to download. The waymarks are clear though)

Footnote: I came to the valley on a school residential week in the 1980s. When we walked to the mansion, it was covered in creepers, with horseshoe bats flying in and out of the windows. Just like Sleeping Beauty's castle. It was impossibly romantic!

Climbing inside a Bronze Age barrow - Uley Long Barrow, Gloucs

One of of my most exciting adventures to date. Who wouldn't want to wriggle inside a 5000 year old Bronze Age barrow? You have to do this one!
Driving along the M5 towards Bristol, we turned off at Junction 13 to do this walk. (Directions, etc below) It was only about 3 miles  - and could be less.
We parked at Woodchester  - free National Trust car park there.

Woodchester is famous for its undisturbed grassland meadows (as well as its woods)

From the car park, we ignored the signs to Woodchester, turning left up this path.

... to cross the B4066 at this sign - then through the stile and left onto the path behind it.

The pink flowers are ragged robin.

There were plenty of orchids - though my picture isn't very good.

The path is the Cotswold Way. It led to this: Nympsfield Long Barrow (English Heritage - free to visit) There's a car park here if you want to shorten the walk further.

This is a nice preview of what is to come. 

From there, we continued along the Cotswold Way. It's easy summit walking with great views

First, from Coaley Peak

Distant views of the Severn, with Wales behind

You get this view as you continue walking. Fantastic!

Looking North

The Cotswold Way continues

...to Frocester Hill. Which isn't a hill when you're walking, because you are already on the ridge. More great views - and a toposcope.

The guild of Toposcope erectors decrees that they must always be placed several degrees out, to confuse the general public. But you can easily identify Cam Long Down.

When the Cotswold Way reaches the road and starts to descend - DON'T FOLLOW IT. Keep walking along the road, the B4066, for about 400 metres. There's a verge.

I got excited at the sight of this lump in the field - but this isn't the one.

Here we are. Hetty Pegler's Tump - or more correctly, Uley Long Barrow.

Lovely sign. No mention of the need for torches. But they are needed. Mentioned on the English Heritage details: click here: in the "before you go" section

And here it is. A 5000 year lump (or tump) in a field. There's the entrance. It's about 2 feet high.

Someone had handily left a coat, so I knelt on that to wriggle in. Hit my head (twice)

Pretty dark inside  - legs outside demonstrate the lowness of the entrance 

The sunlight lit it up partly

The torch battery failed. But I had a candle and matches with me.

Still inside:  I think the big stone is original, and the drystone wall bit is later filling in, as the chamber is not in the shape of a cross like Nympsfield, but just has one side .

Like a hobbit house. 

We returned by the same route.

I sat in the lovely flower meadow. Just because I could.

Seriously, you have to try this. I've given more details than usual because it's so little known about. Later, I ate in the cafe at Woodchester - neither of the locals knew about getting into the barrow.
If you don't want to walk, you can actually park right by it - but then you miss Nympsfield, not to mention the fabulous views. The whole walk was 3.2 miles and was very easy and flat

Today's walk: Park at Woodchester Park (NT, free). Steps down from the car park, then turn left away from the main walks . Follow the well-surfaced track to the road. Cross it and turn left on a path which joins the Cotswold Way. Pass Nympsfield Long Barrow (just off the path but you can't miss it.) then follow the Cotswold way until it joins the B4066. It follows it for about 100 metres, then turns off down a slope into woodland. You however, keep on along the road, till you see the sign for Uley Long Barrow. It's just across the field. (NB not fenced, as shown on the Engligsh Heritage website - just simply open). You need to take a torch, or candle/matches. The ground is sharp pebbles, so best not to wear shorts - or be prepared to sacrifice a coat to kneel on. And mind your head. When you're inside, you can stand up, head bent (if you're 5 foot 4 like me). And do take children if you have any. They deserve a bit of adventure!
Woodchester is about 6 miles from Junction 13 of the M5. Turn towards Stroud, and just before you get there, take the B4066. Woodchester is signposted as you arrive at it.

You can combine this walk with a visit to the secret valley of Woodchester and its ruined mansion. Click here to see it