Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
that newer concrete structures lack. Llanthony Warehouse is home to Gloucester Waterways
Museum with much canal memorabilia, amongst which a ghost was photographed in 2008.
Llanthony Warehouse and the Gloucester Waterways Museum
.
Another warehouse contains the Gloucester Antiques Centre with over 100 dealers, one of
the largest and longest-established in the UK. The Towpath Trail runs the length of the canal.
Amongst moored craft is the former Spurn lightship
Sula
.
The Llanthony bascule bridge crosses over the canal. There are no fixed bridges on the
canal; most are swing bridges to allow for high superstructures and masts. All traffic on the
canal is controlled by traffic lights. Craft normally hoot to draw the attention of the bridge
operator.
As the canal leads off down the Vale of Gloucester, following the River Severn in a south-
westerly direction, it takes the user head-on into the prevailing wind. This is given free rein
by the generally thin spread of trees and the flatness of the vale, which tends to funnel in to-
wards Gloucester, intensifying the wind.
The canal breaks out into open country. The scarp slope of the Cotswolds moves steadily
nearer on the left. The more distant Forest of Dean does the same on the other side of the
river. Even the Malverns are visible at times, away to the north.
At Lower Rea is the first of the lock keepers' cottages. These are completely unique to this
canal, built in classical Adam Regency style with pedimented porticoes on Doric columns,
all differing slightly in detail and resembling so many Greek temples - an unexpected find on
what was a very commercial waterway.
The landscape becomes totally rural, cutting through farmland that is only broken after the
first of another grouping of high power lines.
