Enjoy the Canal

Visiting for the first time?

The Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust is restoring the Canal for the whole community to share.

Restoration has a long way to go before it is complete, but there are already many places along the Canal where visitors can enjoy the environment and sense its history.

Work on the canal has been in progress over many years between Hereford and Gloucester at…

Aylestone Park in Hereford, 
Kymin East, Yarkhill, Monkhide, 
Dymock, Oxenhall, Newent, 
Malswick, Moat Farm,
Vineyard Hill, Over Basin and
Llanthony Lock on the banks of the Severn.

Some of our restored sites are open to the public every day – including Over Basin near Gloucester, Oxenhall Towpath, Yarkhill and Kymin Towpath,  and Aylestone Park in Hereford.

Most visitors to canals are not boaters, but people who come on foot, cycle, horseback, car and public transport just to enjoy towpath activities and be near a beautiful, historic and peaceful waterway.

• Passing through unspoiled countryside, the H&G Canal and associated canal-side developments encourage visitors to the area, as well as supporting the local community and economy.
• Historians can step back in time to when the canal was a commercial route.
• Engineers, architects and those interested in the industrial archeology of the canal study the design of both the canal remains and the newly restored structures.

• Visitors can enjoy a meal or snack at one of our waterside establishments.
• Eventually, the canal will become a waterway for suitable craft to travel between two historic cities.
• The Canal offers a great habitat for a wide range of flora and fauna – see our Nature Watch page, and offers opportunities to many visitors who want to use this pleasant environment for their varied pursuits.
• Community groups are encouraged to make use of the canal for their activities, for example Gloucester Model Boat Club and Sailing4Disabled both operate on the water at Over Basin

Rescued from Obscurity 2

Former Chairman of the Trust Richard Skeet tells the story of the building and operation of the canal.

In the second half of the book he describes how the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust has set about the enormous task of restoring the 34 miles of this historic canal, reconnecting two ancient Cathedral Cities. 200 page paperback, over 200 illustrations and photographs.

Copies can be ordered from our online shop for just £15.00.

Canal Walk Leaflets

A series of walks leaflets is available, each covering parts of the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal through the two counties.

The series is proving very popular with both local people and visitors to the area.  Each walk is illustrated with photos of points of interest and a clear map of the route.

A complete set of the leaflets can also be ordered from our online shop for a small fee.

Food and Drink on the Canal

Cycling

As there are only short lengths of Canal restored at present it not possible to cycle from city to city on a towpath, but it is possible to visit sections by bicycle.

Aylestone Park in Hereford has a short section of the H&G Canal along its lower edge as well as a number of other accessible cycle paths around the park.

National Cycle Network routes 42 and 45 can be used to reach Over Basin and three picturesque routes by foot or bicycle take visitors to Over Basin and The Wharf House from Highnam, Maisemore & Gloucester Docks. Over Basin has a wide hard towpath along one side of the basin and extending half a mile to the end of Vineyard Hill.

The Newent Loop is a 28 mile leisure cycling route that takes in aspects of the H&G Canal at Newent and Oxenhall.

More opportunities for cycling along the canal will arise as restoration progresses.

Disabled Access

Wheelchair users can visit the canal where progress with restoration allows.

• Aylestone Park in Hereford, has a short section of the H&G Canal along its lower edge as well as a number of other accessible paths around the park.
• Wheelchair visitors to Oxenhall can view the restored lock and cottage along the track from Winters Lane, just below the Church.
• Over Basin is a very good location for wheelchairs with a wide hard towpath along one side of the basin and extending to the end of Vineyard Hill.
• Sailing4Disabled operate on the water at Over Basin and provide opportunities for wheel chair users to get afloat – scroll down to see more below.
• The Lock Keepers (formerly The Wharf House) at Over Basin has good wheelchair access.

Activities on the Water at Over Basin

Activities on the water at Over Basin – Summer Boat Trips

Activities on the water at Over Basin – Sailing4Disabled

Sailing4Disabled meets every Tuesday at Over Canal Basin from 11.00 to 14.00.  It is open to everyone – whether they have a disability or not.

The groups run a number of craft on the Over Basin including Kata-canoes and a wheelchair-friendly Wheelieboat.

Full assistance is provided to all to enjoy the water experience including lifejackets.

If you are interested in joining them Pete (Long John Silver) Bisson and his experienced team will be pleased to welcome you aboard.

Contact them on 07913 015018 or email peterwb49@hotmail.com.

Activities on the water at Over Basin – Gloucester & District Model Boat Club

Gloucester & District Model Boat Club – The Home of Model Boating and Yachting in the Gloucester area.

Established for over 30 years and with over 120 members; as an umbrella group, we accommodate all aspects of the hobby / past time, from scratch building, kit building, refurbishment, exhibiting at local shows, using all types of water based models regardless of shape, size or colour.  (Unfortunately we can not accommodate IC powered models at our locations).

There are many years of experience within the Club’s membership so you should find a helping hand when you need assistance (what material, what size, what set up or tuning). Being part of a group, whether new to the hobby or an experienced modeller, there is always something going on to get involved with; and access to a variety of water to  use your model, from ½ mile of land locked canal, to open water or sheltered arm at Gloucester Docks, or a private lake. Whether “social” sailing or “Competitive” sailing is your thing, you should find something to suit your needs.

All access is with land owners / managers agreement, and covered with 3rd party liability insurance should things go wrong.

We also have a bi-monthly Newsletter, with some interesting articles from the members supplemented with update emails should something interesting be going on inbetween issues of the newsletter.

The club arranges to exhibit at local shows or to take part in gatherings at other nearby club’s events (Naval days, Lifeboat days, Yacht racing days, etc). If you’re lucky, there may be a “fun” day or two to meet the members and try your skills with a “Steering” competition or a yacht “sailing”  Challenge.

With many of our activities taking place outdoors with nearby parking facilities, what better way is there to relax and refresh from a hectic lifestyle, or make new friends with like minded people.

We don’t need any more reminders that our health and wellbeing is very important to us all. So  outside interests are more important than ever before.
Why not pay us a visit and explore what could be possible?

The Gloucester and District Model Boat Club (GDMBC) has been using the Over Canal Basin for about 20 years now, on a Wednesday, Friday and Sunday afternoon

– see Over Basin Events Diary Page for more details.

They generally meet around 1:30pm and depart about 4:30pm (unless it is a really nice summer,s day and they could still be there until 6:30pm).

• Wednesday afternoon is mainly a “Motor boat” session, with various model styles and sizes, powered by batteries (occasionally by live steam), if the vehicles are there but no boats, they will probably be travelling to the “winding hole” back back.
• Friday afternoon is mainly small “Sailing yachts”, chasing themselves around the basin, purely powered by the wind.
  The 1st and 3rd Friday of each month, the skippers will be competing in a heat of the Summer or Winter series of Club races using “Micro Magic” kit built yachts.
• Sunday afternoon is a “Social” gathering of GDMBC members, with both “Motor boats” and “Sailing Yachts” taking to the water.

We also meet at a number of sailing venues including Gloucester Docks, and Saul Junction at the junction of the Gloucester-Sharpness Canal and the Stroudwater Canal. Further information on these sites can be found by clicking on the Sailing Venues tab. You are always welcome to visit us at Over on Wednesdays, Fridays (sailing racing) or Sundays after lunch and talk to members.

See the club website for more information

Historians

The Hereford to Gloucester Canal is steeped in history of our industrial past. Although much of the canal has been filled in and in places has disappeared without trace, a surprising number of lock cottages, wharf buildings and bridges remain to be seen.

Click on this link to see A Brief History of the Hereford and Gloucester Canal…

Angling

As much of the line of the Hereford & Gloucester Canal is yet to be bought into water, fishing permits are confined to Over Basin.

A permit is available to a limited number of anglers at this location.

Fishing is not permitted at H&GCT sites without a permit.

August 2024 –  membership of the fishing syndicate at Over Basin is full and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

More on Enjoying the Canal

Quicklinks to more on Enjoy the Canal…