Leaving Stroud I came across a dozen volunteers for the Cotswold Canals Trust giving their time to restore the canal.

There are volunteers working on the restoration six days a week, with larger groups on Tuesdays and anyone is welcome to join, to learn new skills and work with other members of the community.

As I walked towards Cirencester the canal became more forgotten and felt in places like a scene from Lord of the Rings, a forgotten civilization with nature slowly covering it up and taking it back. On the one hand I love to see life thriving in forgotten spaces, but the benefits of walking along a canal and perhaps one day transporting our goods by water not road are also a very positive image for the future.