A new winding hole is being built on a canal you may not have cruised before: the Stroudwater Navigation, part of the wider Cotswold Canals restoration. This waterway will eventually reconnect Stroud to the national network at Saul Junction, opening up a completely new cruising destination in the West Country.
Until the remaining section through Brimscombe Port is restored, Stroud Brewery will be the current limit of navigation. To make that workable for visiting boats, a proper turning point is needed - and that’s exactly what’s now being constructed.
This August, the Stroud Valley Canal Company (SVCC) is creating a new winding hole directly opposite Stroud Brewery, between two distinctive metal wheels on the far bank. Once complete, boats arriving from Saul will be able to turn safely and head back downstream without difficulty.
SVCC volunteers will also be extending moorings from the winding hole to Bagpath Bridge. These moorings will trial eco‑friendly construction techniques aimed at protecting wildlife and reducing bank erosion - an approach likely to be used more widely as the restoration progresses.
For boaters who haven’t visited this canal before, the Stroudwater Navigation offers a mix of rural cruising, historic structures, and a lively waterside scene around the brewery. The new winding hole is a small but essential milestone in bringing this once‑abandoned route back into regular use.
