Kingswood Circle

A walk that will almost guarantee passing boats at all times of year as this is central to many holiday routes. It contrasts beautifully the busy winding Stratford with the more functional Grand Union and includes the very short arm built to link the two which was reinstated in 1996. This walk is particularly well supplied with good inns.

From the car park turn left up the Stratford-on-Avon canal. The next half mile is a wonderfully chaotic and busy jumble of locks as the canal climbs the Lapworth flight. By bridge 33 is the Briar Cottage Canal Shop and 'The Boot' a canal side pub. After a mile leave the canal at Bridge 31, cross the road and take the turn to Packwood House. Then bear right to Badesley Clinton passing the Punchbowl pub and straight on over the railway to bridge 66 over the Grand Union Canal. Drop down onto the canal and turn right.

Follow the Grand Union south under bridge 65, past the canalside Navigation Pub and over the footbridge across the new link to Kingswood then on under bridge 64. At 63 go under the bridge, leave the towpath up to the road and turn left. To your right is a pub, The Wood, which starts serving teas and coffees at 11 am. Walk down the lane under the railway bridge and in half a mile rejoin the Stratford-on-Avon Canal at Dick's Lane Bridge and turn right past lock 25. Continue up the canal to Kingswood junction. The unusual cantilivered, split cast iron bridges along this stretch are indigenous to the Statford Canal. This is one aspect of canal walking that is so interesting, you can tell which canal you are on by the different canal architecture.

Back at Kingswood junction there is a wide expanse of water above lock 22 where the restored link from the Grand Union enters beside the barrel roofed cottage, a typical Stratford Canal building. Alongside lock 21 is the British Waterways yard and above another wide sheet of water with the alternative connection to the Grand Union. An interesting area for exploring or just leaning on a bridge watching boats.

A shorter walk would be to leave the Grand Union shortly after the Navigation Pub by the footbridge over the link, and follow this short length of canal back into Kingswood Junction.

Getting there

Parking: Car park at Kingswood