Strmin one

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Leaving Stroud station on the southern line side (away from town), head downhill towards the canal. Fairly easy to find. Following the canal is very easy in the main - however there is a point, having gone underneath a low modern concrete bridge, where you counterintuitively turn right and up onto a busy road (Dr Newton's Way). This is the correct way! You pass under the railway bridge and there are some lovely arches to admire as you rejoin the canal path. You will pass several old stone bridges and also a metal Jubilee Bridge (Queen Victoria rather than Queen Elizabeth!). After Ham Mill bridge and lock, the route suggests you cross the next stone bridge on the right and then pick up a path on the left as you walk over the bridge. There is no access to this end of the footpath (Heras Fencing panel in the way) and it is very overgrown. Even if you could access this path, there would be a railway track crossing to negotiate, and a steep hill to climb and descend). So, I agree with the previous reviewer on this impassable and also unnecessary section which only takes you back onto the canal path a short distance later. You leave the canal path, crossing under the railway again, and start to climb up a fairly steep hill. This turns into Orchard Way which takes you onto Brimscombe Hill. Turn left downhill until you see a woodturning business on your right. Cross over, stay in front of Dennis Turner's house and walk along a narrow tarmac road for a short distance. At the gate, you will see a stile to your right. Cross over the stile and continue uphill. The path is very narrow here and there's some considerable adverse camber. Eventually it levels out a little and you go through a metal gate into a field. Sometimes there are sheep in this field. Another metal gate leads to another narrow steep path. This gets quite overgrown in the summer months so long trousers are advised. You emerge onto Love Lane where you turn left and follow the quiet lane for a short distance before emerging onto a busy road bordering Minchinhampton Common. Cross over and there's a lovely walk across the grass where you're heading towards the church. There is a small car park on the other side of the common and you're back on to a small lane again. The route takes you past some public toilets before stopping outside the 17th century Market House, where there is also a handsome war memorial.
I liked this walk; it's very peaceful by the canal. I have given it four stars however, because there is an existing alternative to the impassable section which means it's still a good walk.

Nice route, but this version includes an unnecessary dog leg from the bottom of Orchard Lane up the hill onto Bagpath Lane, and as a result misses Stroud Brewery (with a very popular restaurant and brewery tap room) and adds an unpleasant level crossing across the railway that is difficult to find and boggy even in dry spells. More accessible, more direct, and safer to just join the canal at the end of Orchard Lane by crossing under the railway bridge and follow the canal from there.

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