Studio 18's entrance on the canal towpath

Helena mentioned there was a small exhibition of local photographs at an art space on an industrial estate a mile up the Golden Valley. She returned from her walk with G. after lunch and soon after we drove up the Golden Valley to Hope Mill business park and parked at the new Stroud Brewery premises, adjacent to the Stroudwater canal.

‘Studio 18’ is sited in an old industrial unit beside the towpath which we walked along from the brewery about three hundred yards away. It is at the end of the stretch of the canal that has been re-opened after much dredging and clearing. But the final stretch to Brimscombe Port is still cut off until that area is reclaimed from its more recent tenants. The canal and its port were abandoned by the 1950s after the canal trade ceased and the land and related warehouse buildings were re-purposed, something which is still happening as traders and manufacturers come and go.

The exhibition was a bit disappointing, although it had a few good images, but it was good to discover the premises as they are likely to hold other arts events in due course. Before we returned along the towpath we went a short way up the canal to the next old brick bridge designed for horses and carts to traverse the canal and head up the steep-sided valley to Minchinhampton Common on the hills above. Immediately upstream of the bridge is a lock, which is in very good condition although the wooden gates have rotted away.

I took this series of pictures all within a hundred yards of Studio 18. I used my ‘nifty’ 50mm for the first time in nearly a year, and it was fun to have such a light lens on the camera for a change. I might keep it on there for a while to see what  happens.

The last picture of an office window interested me as I suddenly noticed the room contained many wooden aircraft propellers! I think i counted at least ten on the walls or shelves.