Stanton's bridge over the canal at Thrupp, Stroud

I ventured out for a walk beside the canal a little way up the golden Valley near Thrupp. The canal has been regenerated in recent times, after a period in the early twentieth century when it fell into disuse leading to it becoming completely overgrown, and even infilled in parts. The restoration has meant that within a couple more years it should be possible for boats from all over the British waterways network to reach as far as this point of the Thames and Severn Canal.

I like Stanton's bridge which s you can see still acts as a passage across the canal for one of the many footpaths which span the Golden Valley. This young man is probably returning from school in Rodborough or Minchinhampton down the steep hillside. The bridge was built for carts, horses and people when the wooden industry spread all over the valley sides, and the flat land at the Vally bottom was the centre of much business with mills and small industrial premises spread on the narrow land between the road, the river Frome and the canal, built at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

I blipped (this view of the bridge) looking in the opposite direction ten years ago. I wrote a bit more about the location as well as adding a few links. One of those links was of a video I'd filmed of the wonderful (and newly built engine at the time) named 'Tornado' steaming up the valley out of Stroud, which gives a fine sense of the scene and landscape filmed from halfway up the hillside just above here.

I also found that I had blipped my favourite portrait of Woodpeckers on the previous day.