2) when you approach Whaddon (a couple of fields on from the above point) the Slowways route takes you past the farm on to the main road, turns left and then after a short distance on the road you go left again on a footpath BUT you can avoid going to the road and follow a footpath behind the farm instead and still reach the same point. On the ground there is a foot bridge taking you into the field going behind the farm and it is clearly signed. 3) after you have crossed under the M5 and walked through fields then a farm (Brentlands on the OS map) back on to a road, there is a short section of road walking before you get to the footpath to Brookthorpe. Take care here as it is a busy road, with blind corners and not much space to get off the road. There isn’t alternative way around this due to the motorway. 4) Past Brookthorpe - don’t turn left into the field marked Withyrows too soon - you need to carry on past the farmer’s track to reach the path route. I accidentally turned up the farmers straight track and had to walk back to find the route out of the field....

Rebecca Neill

Generally, I prefer walking to Nailsworth by sticking to the Railway path/cycle route, with the slight deviation through houses when the old line reaches Dudbridge. But this Slow Ways route offers a nice variation....

Steven Coombs

This is a very good easy route, well maintained and flat tarmac almost the whole way, as it's a cycle route. It's pleasant under the trees but it wasn't nearly as rural as I expected - there are fences and buildings visible to the side for much of the way. If you want more countryside, you could choose one of the other variants which take you into the fields and up Selsley Hill!...

Andrew Davies

This is a solid Slow Way with lots to enjoy, especially along the green and heritage rich canal....

danravenellison

Possibly a duller part of the walk, quite exposed and there was one small but welcome diversion into the adjacent woodland and an amazing sculpture of a horse's head as you come into Cirencester....

Karen Phimister

You leave the housing estate by walking down what feels like (and in fact is) someone's driveway walking to the left of their house on to a small hill behind their house (it is a very well established route just not super obvious from the housing estate side). 2) about half way through or so there is a point where the route - just after crossing a stream on a farm track- would lead through a farm/farm yard. In fact it's much easier and marked as such to walk round the farm to the right (coming from Dursley direction) bringing you out in exactly the same place after the farm (the farm yard was full of cows so was not obvious we could have got through that way anyway!)....

Neil Phimister

At the beginning walking through Littlecombe, the St Modwen estate you need to make sure not to miss a footpath connection....

Karen Phimister

Beautiful route through fields and small lanes from Stroud to Painswick. Mostly flat and easy going with excellent waymarking. There are multiple stiles and a narrow footbridge....

jbeesley25

Straightforward route only (slightly) tricky bit being path from Brimscombe up on to Minch common - steep and likely to be muddy path....

Neil Phimister

Going down above Brimscombe Cemetery the path was minimal across the slope and would be really tricky after lots of rain....

Karen Phimister

A really straightforward route to follow, more or less straight path with lots of signs....

Karen Phimister

A pleasant, flat route with lots of information about the history of the canal and it's buildings. Some bits might be tricky for wheelchair users although we saw people with buggies on the path....

Karen Phimister

One tip is that after the Council offices you need to keep left through the Council car park, over the river and get up on to the embankment (above the busy road)....

Neil Phimister

It takes you along the canal path to Ebley then some gentle ups and downs up to Selsley Common and through fields to Woodchester and then down to join the canal path into the centre of Nailsworth. Really pretty and varied walk. Some muddy bits I would recommend this route....

Karen Phimister

I’ve walked this route, it’s a straightforward walk...

RobMorton

Not too muddy after rain but higher than usual number of styles and ‘kissing gates’, Also a couple of steps/bridges over streams. Coffee shop in the town of Painswick at the end!...

Anita Damsell

Some road noise as close to main road (and small amount of road side walking into Stonehouse)....

Neil Phimister

You pass behind Rooksmoor Mills where there is a lot of building going on (mostly apartments I think). Also, Damien Hirst's warehouse - one of his tall pieces can just been seen between the leaves of the trees. You'll approach a lit tunnel and just before it, you will turn right to take a path through a small housing estate and cross a small river. You'll emerge onto a road with a pedestrian crossing and then have to climb some steps to walk along the next section of disused railway line - I think if you were to turn left instead of crossing at the lights, then turn right at the next set of lights and walk up the fairly steep hill, you will find a ramp down onto this section of disused railway line). At the mini roundabout, you could take a right and walk up the hill where you'll find the railway station on your left (there is a footbridge over the tracks to reach the ticket office and platform 1). The route however tells you to continue past the mini roundabout, under the railway bridge and take the first right, and then right again to approach the railway station from the ticket office side....

GiselaB

Yes, it's a bit more varied than using the old railway line out of Stroud to connect to the old railway line into Nailsworth, but it is not the most direct route and there were a couple of inaccuracies in the mapping. Out on the road, turn briefly left, before heading right and uphill towards Selsley and not Kings Stanley. At the Bell Inn, turn left just before and you're on a track which for me was the highlight of the walk. In the final field where the remains of an old Priory are behind a wall on the left, the route mistakenly tells you to turn right by the stile as you exit. Again, I think it's unnecessary to turn left here to walk backwards in effect. You can turn right, go down the hill and also pick up the old railway line into Nailsworth. The old railway line is very pleasant to walk along, especially when it's wet or hot as you're sheltered by the overhanging trees....

GiselaB

This is a good route and far more varied than following the National Cycle Network route 45. Just north of North Woodchester the route makes use of a field where there is no path. Instead of heading for Water Lane, use Church Lane and connect to the public path there....

danravenellison

I'll be sharing an alternative route option to follow the cycle path too....

danravenellison

With the vast majority of the route off-road and easy to navigate, I was able to enjoy being in the conversation without having to find my way....

danravenellison

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). You pass under the railway bridge and there are some lovely arches to admire as you rejoin the canal path. 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). You leave the canal path, crossing under the railway again, and start to climb up a fairly steep hill....

GiselaB

I am going to be rather more generous with this route than 5PintE though they are correct that the Eastern end of this route from Sapperton to Cirencester passes through Cirencester Park; while not a public right of way there is public access between 8am and 5pm and it is a far more scenic approach to Cirencester than the alternative Strcir2 route, see https://www.bathurstestate.co.uk/visitors/cirencester-park/. From Stroud to Sapperton the route follows the Thames & Severn Canal path (https://www.cotswoldcanals.net/exploring-thames-severn-canal.php). From Sapperton the route follows the rather impressive Broad Ride into and through Cirencester Park (NB: daytime only)....

icsens

A nice walk along the canal from the centre of Stroud to Dudbridge then over hills and fields to Woodchester where it joins the cycle path to Nailsworth. I experienced a slight problem as I approached The Priory as I couldn't find the footpath indicated along the side of the field to the right, however the waymarked footpath straight ahead led to the same place and it was easy to pick up the road to Woodchester. Toilets and refreshments available as you leave the canal path and at the Sainsbury's about 100m off the path where it crosses the A419....

GIllian

With regard to its accessibility, the route crosses the course of a small stream and includes stiles and several narrow foot bridges....

flyingbuttress

The short sections along roads are reasonable - more than half have a pavement or verge but there are some sections where caution will be necessary (narrow roads, high hedges, no pavement/verge, twisting route)....

rr

The last 5 miles of this route run through private land (Cirencester Park) with no public right of way. Some of the route is along permissive paths but not all of it and the gates are locked at 17:00 every day. See STRCIR 2 for alternative route using the Thames Severn Way from Stroud to Coates and then along the Monarchs Way to Cirencester....

5PintE

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....

RobMorton