Watch the Missing Mile Come to Life
It’s been an exciting week since we announced that work has officially begun on the Missing Mile, and we’ve been thrilled to see so many people sharing and showcasing this incredible stage of the Cotswold Canals restoration.
We’ve got three fantastic videos to share, each offering a different perspective on the work taking place between John Robinson Lock and the M5.
🎥 Court Above the Cut – The Missing Mile Big Dig
YouTube documentary maker Court Above the Cut has been out on site to capture the scale of the Missing Mile works, showcasing our amazing volunteers getting stuck into the ‘Big Dig’ as they begin constructing approximately 750 metres of new canal.
The video also follows the journey towards the M5, where Stroud District Council is leading the construction of the new canal channel beneath the motorway, working alongside specialist contractors.
There’s also a special feature on the restoration of John Robinson Lock, including a visit to the site and the fantastic work carried out by the Waterways Recovery Group (WRG) camp, whose volunteers have made a huge contribution to the project.
🎥 Cotswold Canals Connected – Bringing the Canal Back to Life
Cotswold Canals Connected has also produced a fantastic video featuring interviews with Dr Simon Opher MP for Stroud and Cotswold Canals Connected Project Director Chris Mitford-Slade.
They explore the vision behind restoring a navigable waterway through this historic landscape, and the many benefits the completed project will bring – from boosting biodiversity and creating new opportunities for recreation and tourism, to celebrating and protecting the heritage of our unique canal network.
🚁 See the Missing Mile from above
And finally, local drone operator Lee Grant has captured some spectacular aerial footage of the works.
His latest footage gives a brilliant perspective on both the M5 crossing and the Missing Mile ‘Big Dig’, showing just how impressive the scale of the work already is. Seeing the restoration from above really brings home the transformation that is taking place on the ground.
We’re incredibly grateful to Court Above the Cut, Cotswold Canals Connected and Lee Grant for helping to tell the story of this exciting project and showcase the hard work of everyone involved.
From volunteers digging the new canal channel, to specialist teams working beneath the M5, the Missing Mile is quite literally taking shape before our eyes.
Watch the videos above and follow the journey as we reconnect the Cotswold Canals!
