Green town councillors Kevin Cranston (the Mayor), Sue Fenton and Naomi Seffar have been helping to check and refresh the way-marking of the WAS [Walk Around Stroud] Way.
The WAS Way is a 10-mile circular route that encircles the Stroud town boundaries, following public footpaths and roads and crossing all five of the Valleys. It was first trialled by Stroud Town Council in the 2007 Stroud Walking Festival and is an official waymarked trail.
The Council has recently completed a review of the route and has printed easy-to-follow new maps to help publicise the route to residents and to walkers from outside the area. Kevin, Sue and Naomi volunteered to walk the route and replace any old, faded or missing way-markers, so that walkers can easily find their way.
Kevin said: “One of the best things about Stroud is its fabulous, largely unspoiled countryside. The WAS Way is full of little surprises and lovely views and takes in a nice mixture of scenery: fields, woods, hills and the canal. Because it follows the parish boundaries you’re never too far from the town and it’s so interesting to see familiar parts of the town from an unusual angle.”
The route review and publication of the improved maps coincided with the Retrofit Fair and the launch of Stroud Town Climate Action Network on September 11.
A map of the WAS Way route can be downloaded at https://www.stroudtown.gov.uk/the-was-way.html or paper copies are available from the Town Council offices.