Stroudwater and Thames & Severn Canals - Update 15

I look at various aspects of progress along the Cotswold Canals in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, as well as looking into the planning obstacles to restoration of the 'Missing Mile'.
Links to the Stroud District Council documents that I discuss in the video:
Planning Details on SDC's website:
publicaccess.stroud.gov.uk/on...
Environment Agency's objections:
publicaccess.stroud.gov.uk/on...
National Highway's Statement:
publicaccess.stroud.gov.uk/on...
Eastington Parish Council Statement:
publicaccess.stroud.gov.uk/on...
#canal #cotswolds #stroud

[@andrewgarnell2170]

Many thanks for the update. We were walking along the canal recently and saw the work done by the Daneway. I didn’t know that the work had been carried out by the new owner of the Warf Cottage. Credit to him. A great improvement. Looking forward to your next update. Cheers from Germany 🇩🇪

[@westcountrywanderings]

Ah, thanks Andrew Yes, it is astonishing what the owner has achieved there. It was really kind of him to show me around when he saw I was filming. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍. Cheers, Paul

[@DonSalmonMusic]

❤51 Must say Paul, that we are always impressed with the quality of your videos and content. Thank you for sharing such great updates 👏👏👏👏👏

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Don! Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for your kind words. I try to keep everyone updated as best as I can, as the information isn't easily available elsewhere in one source point. Take care, Paul

[@michaelpilling9659]

wow! So much information to digest from your fabulous video. I really do hope that common sense and not power crazy planners prevails.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thanks! Yes, there was rather a lot in this one. None of that information is easily available elsewhere so I thought people with a passing interest, it even more than a passing interest in the progress of The Cotswold Canals would find it helpful. It took a lot of research as you can imagine! Thanks Michael! 👍🙂

[@DarylW426]

Hello Paul. The Canal series is perhaps my favorite. They are an engineering Marvel and in combination with their age are just fascinating. I hope the restoration efforts continue to move ahead. They are so important to the history of the area and the UK as well. Thank you so much for the update and your hard work.👍

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Daryl! Yes, the canal series that I do on the channel is the most popular, but I like to make things about other aspects of the Westcountry too. However, I will keep coming back to this one to show progress, as well as more to come on the Wilts & Berks and Somerset Coal Canals soon too. Glad you enjoy them as well. Take care, Paul

[@johntimbrell]

Thank you Paul for clarifying the present position regarding the planning applications regarding the missing mile. My comment on your previous video about the Environment Agency was inappropriate. I had in mind how the EA had caused so much flooding in the Somerset levels because they stopped local farmers clearing the drainage channels. I, for one, would welcome your oversight and reporting of any developments. I visited Daneway Banks in the Summer to see and luckily photographed the Large Blue Butterfly. The many locks near there, similar to the one that you filmed, shows how much work there is to be done. I am amazed how the professionals and volunteers just keep chipping away at single projects to eventually find that they have only!!! the missing mile to complete to get the canal opened to Stroud.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, exactly so John! This planning application is turning into an unwieldy beast to be honest. Like Eastington Parish Council said, I don't think the marina and offices, etc should be done until the canal has been approved and built first. Not much point of a marina if there is nothing to connect it too! Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul👍🙂

[@michaelmiller641]

Thanks for that update,Paul. Very interesting

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Michael! Glad you enjoyed the update - this story is going to run and run! Cheers, Paul

[@davidberlanny3308]

Hi Paul, you certainly got about to different parts of the canal this time, all very interesting and as always excellently presented, well done. It must be of great help to the trust to have such a cooperative owner at the Daneway basin. Maybe they should try and convert the football team that plays in the basin to a different sport .... perhaps they could take up water polo? That really would be a win-win solution!! I recognised the chimney in the background from one of your early videos, it's a real landmark. You did well to summarise the situation on the planning application, 550 documents and counting!! There is a solution there I'm sure, better to get it resolved now. Glad you got a good day to do the filming, the same storm system that has been battering the UK has also swept through Spain. On Sunday we had exceptional winds, not sure what speed we had but high up in the mountains it reached 193km/hr. Lots of damage all over, just some fallen plant pots and lots of mess for us. Others not so lucky. All the best!!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Good morning David! Thank you - glad you enjoyed the latest Cotswold Canals update. Ha Ha - Water Polo! That's a great idea! Oh my gosh! 193km/hr winds! That some wind speed! The main issue here following Storm Babet is the flooding - the usual places along the River Severn have burst their banks again. It may be a while before I return to the Severn Way, I fear! Thanks so much for watching and commenting. Take care, Paul

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

Very interesting and informative update. Thank you. Encouraging to see the initiatives taken on the Eastern section, particularly the impressive Daneway lock restoration by the owner of Wharf Cottage. I have often walked along the lane by the canal at Ewen. It's a delightful route from Kemble to Cirencester, and must have been very picturesque in the canal's heyday. Disappointing news on the 'missing mile', with a complex of issues and associated costs, having to be addressed. With so many other interests involved, I suppose it's to be expected, but hopefully with goodwill and cooperation, things can be progressed quickly and work started.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Malcolm! 👍 Thanks for a lovely reply - yes the stretch around Ewen is lovely and not often explored. The bramble prevented me exploring further from that location but there is another route that I can see, so I will try again another time. The Thames seems to be flowing well in that area again too - it had dried up completely over the summer. Yes, I do hope that some kind of resolution can happen with the planning issue - the whole thing is becoming a bit of an unwieldy beast! It was a nightmare to try and summarise the complicated situation in just a few minutes. Hopefully it does give a bit of a clearer picture of the current situation though. Cheers, Paul

[@daejavue69]

Nice explorationPaul on this section , it's a good example of the BEFORE . Canal restoration that seen further West past Thrupps's Thames & Severn restored section to Stroud then onto Eastington Stroud Waters restored Section's showing how much work has been done & the AFTER added benefits .

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you! Glad you liked it. Yes, I have covered the previously restored sections (2010 to 2014) around the Stroud area in earlier canal updates on my channel. I will return to them again (like I did here at Ebley) as further work takes place. Aside from the Missing Mile, there is much work to do between Inglesham and South Cerney (Phase 2). Thanks so much! Cheers, Paul

[@mikenorris6719]

Thank,s for the update Paul, I had no idea so much was going on behind the scenes ! keep up the good work.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thanks for watching! Glad you found it informative. Cheers, Paul

[@faithg9766]

What an excellent update, well done for all the background work you do.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Faith! Glad you enjoyed it - yes, fair bit of work on this one, but enjoyable too! Take care, Paul

[@dianarolph1770]

That was very complex- thank you for unraveling what has been going on! I marvelled at the owner of Wharf Cottage- he/ she must be such a canal enthusiast. I couldn’t believe you were allowed onto that land to film. That must have taken you ages to plough through all the red tape! Thanks!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Hi Diana! It was much simpler than that! I did my first piece to camera, and the owner saw me filming and called out to me from the other side of the canal, and recognised me straight away as the 'canal video guy'! He then invited me into the garden and told me all about it and said I could film there. What he has achieved there is nothing short of miraculous! In hindsight I should have dug out the photos that I took there about 18 months ago - I still have them. Thanks again. Take care, Paul

[@monza1002000]

Thank you for the updates. All this going on and l would miss it without your efforts, many thanks

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, some of the information here took a fair bit of digging to find out! Cheers, Paul

[@hvee4]

Wow, how complex is that.. I was certainly unaware of all that… excuse the pun but I thought planning was all just plain sailing now they had so much already restored, I hope you are right in your confidence that it will be eventually restored and I agree with you that it should be treated separately from other things that could bog it down…I’d like to echo your thanks to the fantastic owner of the wharf cottage who granted you permission to film on his land and for the work he has already carried out, what a legend. I walked past there in May and it was lovely to see… great update Paul, really enjoyed it and like you I hope to see some update very shortly… thanks mate and take care 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Lee! Yes, it was hard trying to remember it all 'out in the field' and digging it all out of the council's website - they don't make it easy to find! It is a time issue, and I think CCTs timescales are now looking overly optimistic. I am sure it will happen - but, when?! Glad you enjoyed it, but it probably wasn't one of my most relaxing of videos! Cheers! Paul

[@chrisbradley1192]

Some great information in this update, thanks Paul. My dad was a QS for Costains when this section of the M5 was built, so will have helped with the calculations when the drainage system was designed at the Frome bridge.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you! That's really interesting about your dad working as a Quantity Surveyor when the M5 was being built. I remember following the M5's build as it headed south from Bromsgrove to the Avon Bridge south of Bristol when I was younger. It seemed to stop for ages at Strensham! (M50 jct). I will try and keep everyone up to speed with developments. Cheers, Paul

[@TheGramophoneGirl]

Very relaxing and enjoyable to watch. I'd say it was broadcast quality. Can some local tv station not pick up this video as a small filler? Much more fun that hours of reality tv.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you - glad you enjoyed it. That's very kind of you. I am not sure that mainstream TV is at all interested in this sort of content these days. Maybe many years ago. It has to have conflict, celebrities, and time challenges these days, and be very fast paced with loud music! I am quite happy doing what I do on KZbin, and if a few people like it, then that is a bonus. Thanks for a lovely comment. Cheers, Paul

[@royedwards8713]

Hi Paul nice update 👌

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Roy! Hope you are having a good week. Cheers, Paul

[@chrisdavis4285]

Very useful - thanks

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you 👍🙂

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

Hi Paul, what a comprehensive report, you worked hard on that one, thank you from all your viewers and interested parties, Are yo sure that the spillway at upper WildMoore wasn't a side pond. I think they used quite a few on the T&S to save water. Keep up the good work. Ron

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Ron! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it was a fair bit of work, but nowhere near as much work as the chap that lives in Wharf Cottage and the clearance work that he has done on the lock there. I think it was the next look (Boxmoor?) that had the side pond, although that was a later addition, so it is entirely possible that there was a side pond at Wildmoorway/Widmorway Upper Lock too before Boxmoor was built. Cheers! Paul

[@simonrobbins9016]

A lot of work going on , it will interesting to see what happens when the elephant in the room is reached - Sapperton Tunnel

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thanks! Yes, that isn't until Phase 3 - a long, long way down the line! After the Missing Mile (Phase 1b) the next is Phase 2, which is from where I was at South Cerney to Inglesham and Lechlade-on-Thames. The biggest challenge there is land ownership rights, as much is privately owned. Phase 3 is the bit in the middle, which includes the very challenging Sapperton Tunnel. I will try and keep everyone updated with progress as best as I can. Cheers, Paul

[@grahamwickens7049]

Would not worry about flooding on the M5, its bound to be closed for "road works" anyway.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Flooding on the M5 would be a serious, and potentially fatal issue! The M5 is usually closed, not for road works, but because of the very many accidents. Flooding would make that worse, I am afraid. Thanks for the comment.

[@SpeedBird001]

any thoughts on cozy Inns and pubs in Shropshire, Cotswolds, etc? PS, love your videos!!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you! Glad you like my videos and thanks for watching. Unfortuately, I am the wrong person to ask about pubs and inns as I don't drink alcohol, and I very rarely go in one (I might go and sit and have a coffee outside if it is quiet). Due to my autism, they are no go zones for me, because of the people and noise, and social challenges. Having said that, going on what others have said, the Inn I pictured at the end of this video is right next to the canal, and others have spoken highly of it. If you like riverside pubs, the Red Lion at Wainlode just north of Gloucester on the banks of the River Severn is popular too. There are many top pubs and inns in the Cotswolds, but I am afraid I am not in a position to offer help on that. The one at Upper Oddington that I passed (Horse & Groom) on my last Cotswold Walk series video did look really lovely, with a stunning garden. Looks like it had been revamped recently. Sorry, I can't be of more help! Paul

[@SpeedBird001]

I am not a drinker either, more about the feel, the food and setting of a cozy and historic pubs/inns with a roaring fireplace, etc. Keep up the great work though. I follow a Shropshire Facedbook group called Stunning Shropshire, may ask there.

[@geoffmorgan9071]

Great video again, very disappointed with the planning application, such a lot of red tape, I wish they would just get on with it.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, me too, but I guess we have to be patient. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul