The Stroudwater Canal and Selsley Common

Sean Meek

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The Stroudwater Canal connects the Cotswold woollen town of Stroud with the Severn Estuary. The canal has been disused for the last fifty years, but is rapidly being reborn as a waterway for boaters and walkers as it undergoes restoration.

The walk begins by following a section of the canal where the restoration has now been completed from Ryeford to Ebley. It then climbs up onto Selsley Common, where you are rewarded with far-reaching views across the Severn Valley. The area is popular with paragliders and you may well see them jumping off the top of the hill above your head, as you climb up here. Most of the walk follows the Cotswold Way, which splits into a choice of two routes in this area, creating a short, circular walk along the two alternatives. However, I have taken the walk away from the national trail briefly, right up to the top of the hillside on which Selsley Common sits.

England - South West England - Gloucestershire - Cotswolds

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Church, Flowers, Good for Kids, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Industrial Archaeology, Public Transport, River, Wildlife, Woodland

6/25/2021 - R T Holmes

Excellent walk full of interest throughout. Selsley common was alive with orchids including bee orchids. We missed Waypoint 9 and followed the Cotswold Way to pick up the described route at Waypoint 11. I do not think this detracted from a first class walk.

7/27/2018 - Clive Hook

A beautiful walk with stunning views from Selsley Common right across to The Severn and beyond. With climb up to the top of Selsley Common from Ebley I think I'd grade this as Moderate not Easy. The 170+ metres ascent (and subsequent descent) is a feature of Gloucestershire walking. Thankfully there are benches for resting tired legs and getting breath back. The last part around Penn Wood is best followed, as the author suggests, by looking out for The Cotswold Way which is well signposted. I still wandered slightly off-course somewhere around Waypoint 14 but it was very easy to get back on course.