20 Attractions to Explore Near Stroudwater Navigation

The Gloucester & Sharpness Canal was once the broadest and deepest in the world. Even today, it stands out from other navigations because of its sheer scale and impressive engineering. With huge swing-bridges and pretty bridge-keepers’ houses to pass along the way, you’ll never be short of landmarks or beautiful viewpoints.

WWT Slimbridge is a wetland reserve situated close to Slimbridge village near to Dursley, Gloucestershire. It was the first Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) to be opened. Many water birds live there all year round, and others are migrants on their ways to and from their summer breeding grounds. Other birds overwinter, including large numbers of white-fronted geese and increasing numbers of Bewick's swans.

Westbury Court Garden is a Dutch water garden in Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire, England, 9 miles southwest of Gloucester. The garden was designed 1695-1705. The house has gone but the garden survives and has the reputation of being one of the best examples of the 'Dutch Style in England' and of a 'Dutch canal garden'.

The Cotswold Way is a 102 mile long National Trail running between the market town of Chipping Campden and the city of Bath. The journey along the Cotswold Way starts in the beautiful, historic market town of Chipping Campden. After leaving the town, the trail takes you out onto the Cotswolds escarpment with stunning views from Dover’s Hill, where the annual ‘Olimpick’ games are held.

Coaley Peak is a small limestone summit at the west edge of the Cotswold Hills, elevation 764 feet, along one of the steeper sections of the escarpment, where the land falls away by over 600 feet to the lowlands of the Vale of Berkeley. Coaley Peak was for many years a seasonal home to a community of new age travellers, who were evicted around 2002 to make way for more grassland.

Woodchester Mansion is an unfinished, Gothic revival mansion house in Woodchester Park in Woodchester, near Nympsfield, Gloucestershire, England. Today the mansion, which appears completed from the outside, provides a unique insight into the techniques of Victorian stone masons. the venue is open to the public from Easter to the end October and holds weddings, theatres and other events at various other times in the year.

Stratford Park is a 56-acre park located just outside the center of Stroud, with a great range of facilities to suit all kinds of recreation. The park has won the Green Flag Award on multiple occasions by Keep Britain Tidy and also a Special Innovation Award winner for Community involvement. It was home to a fantastic arboretum and a miniature railway and so many activities are there.

The Dean Heritage Centre is located in the valley of Soudley, Gloucestershire, England. Discover the history of the Forest in a grade 2 listed mill building nestled in a valley in the heart of the glorious Forest of Dean. Explore our beautiful five-acre site and experience for yourself the splendour of the Forest that surrounds us.

The Museum in the Park is set in the beautiful grounds of Stratford Park. Our collection tells the story of the Stroud Valleys and the wider district, giving you the chance to find out about the people who lived and worked here, from the earliest settlers through to the present day. With over 4,000 objects on display from dinosaur bones to even one of the world’s first lawnmowers, there's something to spark the interest of all of visitors. The collection spans social history, geology, archaeolog

Littledean Jail in the Forest of Dean is a unique visitor attraction and home to the crime through time collection and the quadropehnia collection. Behind the austere gatehouse entrance, the prison, with it’s formidable sandstone façade remains much as it was when first built. Steeped in history and infamy, its awesome appearance provides a stark reminder of the hard labour and craftsmanship needed to build this architecturally important jailhouse.

Robinswood Hill is a hill and country park to the south of the city centre of Gloucester. Two-hundred and fifty acres of open countryside with viewpoint, pleasant walks and way-marked nature trails that cover the hill. It is home to much wildlife and affords spectacular views of the surrounding area including other hills of Gloucester, the Cotswolds, Malvern Hills, May Hill and on a clear day the Severn Bridges.

Designed in the 1740s as a fanciful pleasure garden for the owner of Painswick House and his guests, today it’s a place to roam free, to get up close and personal with nature, or to feel the warmth of the sun on your face as you take in the spectacular views of the Cotswold countryside and magical follies.

Gloucester Waterways Museum tells the story of our wonderful canals and rivers. It was housed in a warehouse at the heart of Gloucester’s fine Victorian docks. you can find out all about the people who lived and worked there – as well as marvel at the original Dunkirk Little Ship floating alongside the working steam dredger.

The Thames & Severn Canal was built ten years after the Stroudwater Canal and extended its route to Lechlade. With many locks climbing through the picturesque Golden Valley to the famous Sapperton Tunnel it then winds its way to Lechlade on the Thames – a 36 mile cross-country route.

The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum is located in Gloucester’s Historic Docks. The Museum displays the remarkable story of the Soldiers of Gloucestershire who have served their regiments since 1694. It depicts their courage, humour, their traditions and their sacrifices in exciting and colourful exhibitions for all ages to enjoy.

The Museum of Gloucester in Brunswick Road is the main museum in the city of Gloucester, England. This is a vibrant museum to visit for tourists and locals alike with regular events and exhibitions, exciting activities for children and a café for refreshments. It tell the story of Gloucester through archaeology and natural history, while fine and decorative arts are found on the first floor. The art gallery has a fine collection of paintings, most of which have been donated or bequeathed by loca

Mallards Pike Lake is in the center of the Forest of Dean and is a beautiful lake surrounded by woodland. This is an ideal starting point for a walk or bike ride. This is the main location for Go Ape, the family cycle trail passes by here and there's a fab cafe too. One of the iconic attractions to relax and also you can spend some beautiful time with your loved ones in the center of greenery.

Gloucester Life Museum is one of the oldest-established museums dedicated to social history. It holds an important and fascinating collection of artefacts from the last few hundred years up to the 1960s and 1970s including a working jukebox.

Mallards Pike Lake is in the centre of the Forest of Dean and is a beautiful lake surrounded by woodland. The lake is a hub of activity, with something for everyone, such as big family picnic areas, Go Ape, watersports, family cycling trails, parkruns and Gruffalo Orienteering for kids.

The magnificent Gloucester Cathedral was built in 1100 as a Norman abbey church and survived the Dissolution thanks to its historical connection with the monarchy. It has one of the largest medieval stained glass windows in England and an elegant and impressive interior. The diocese covers the greater part of Gloucestershire, with small parts of Herefordshire and Wiltshire. The cathedral has a stained-glass window depicting the earliest images of golf.