Wade's Mill, Painswick valley

I had to drive up to Salmon's Springs today to pick up a parcel from the Sorting Office of the Post Office which they decided not to deliver yesterday. It is on an old former mill building site straddling the lower end of the Painswick stream that joins the River Frome in Stroud.

I decided to wander a mile up the Painswick valley on the A46 and then truned sharply to the right and dropped just a hundred yards down to the river. Various old small single lane roads cross the valley, bridging the river and at these points there are usually old mill buldings now converted into desirable residences, if you like damp settings.

I hadn't crossed at this point before so I parked and looked at Wade's Mill house from its front entrance. Then I walked a few yards further over the bridge and found a tiny footpath through the woodland high on the steep river bank opposite to the mill. Bluebells were still flowering although not in abundance and the new leaves were filtering the bright sunshine.

This view shows the range of buildings left from various eras of industrial development which now seem to house horses and leisure pursuits. I had hoped to get down to the river but the bank was nearly precipitous.