RoutesHiking trails & RoutesUnited KingdomEnglandWest Midlands RegionWarwickshireStratford-On-AvonStratford Upon Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon Waterside – Lucy's Mill Bridge loop from Stratford-upon-Avon
RoutesHiking trails & RoutesUnited KingdomEnglandWest Midlands RegionWarwickshireStratford-On-AvonStratford Upon Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon Waterside – Lucy's Mill Bridge loop from Stratford-upon-Avon
Moderate
5.0
(1)
20
hikers
Stratford-upon-Avon Waterside – Lucy's Mill Bridge loop from Stratford-upon-Avon
02:41
10.6km
30m
Hiking
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: June 14, 2026
Waypoints
A
Start point
Bus stop
Get Directions
1
3.85 km
Stratford-upon-Avon Waterside
Highlight • Rest Area
Refreshing and plenty to see. Well worth the short walk
Tip by
2
4.06 km
Bancroft Basin, Stratford-upon-Avon Canal
Highlight • Rest Area
From here it is 'just' 185 locks to get to London ;-)
Tip by
3
4.08 km
Stratford-upon-Avon Lock No. 56
Highlight • Bridge
Stratford-upon-Avon Lock No 56 is a minor waterways place on the Stratford-on-Avon Canal (Southern Section) between Winding Hole above Stratford Top Lock No 52 (4½ furlongs and 4 locks to the northwest) and Junction of Stratford Canal and River Avon (¼ furlongs to the south).
The nearest place in the direction of Winding Hole above Stratford Top Lock No 52 is Bancroft Basin; ¼ furlongs away.
The nearest place in the direction of Junction of Stratford Canal and River Avon is Stratford Lock Junction Footbridge; a few yards away.
The nearest place in the direction of Winding Hole above Stratford Top Lock No 52 is Bancroft Basin; ¼ furlongs away.
The nearest place in the direction of Junction of Stratford Canal and River Avon is Stratford Lock Junction Footbridge; a few yards away.
Tip by
4
4.09 km
Warwickshire Firefighters Memorial, Bancroft Gardens
Highlight • Monument
More often than not there is someone performing here as it makes an intimate little ‘theatre’. Musicians, a man dressed as Shakespeare reading monologues off by heart or as in the photograph, a lady playing a violin with great skill. Grab a coffee or an ice cream from somewhere close by and spend a relaxing time here. As you leave think once again of those brave firemen
Tip by
5
4.18 km
Tramway Bridge, Stratford-upon-Avon
Highlight • River
On August Bank Holiday Monday, 1874, despite a “dull threatening sky”, many Stratfordians and visitors flooded down to the Avon to watch a Regatta, the first to be held in Stratford, and organised by Stratford Cricket Club. The programme was comprehensive: it included a cricket match on the field by the Tram Bridge, a military band, and refreshments marquees by the river. The regatta programme included two pairs events, a sculling event, and a canoe race; it was not an open regatta, and all the competitors seem to have been local oarsmen. The success of the regatta fired the enthusiasm of a number of young men, and a week later, on Monday the 10th of August, 1874, they met at the “Falcon” to establish Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club.
The first committee was Edwin Lockyer Curry (the first captain), J. New (Hon. Secretary), Charles Loggin (Hon. Treasurer), G. Stephenson, George Martin Bird, W. A. Samman, F. A. Lane, J. Butcher and E. Pardoe. A deputation waited on Mr. Arthur Hodgson at Clopton and persuaded him to become the club’s first president, against the advice of the Vicar, the Rev. John Day Collis, who prognosticated gloomily, “Look here, friend, your club will only last three years. No club in Stratford lasts longer than that”.
The Club’s own regatta, held each August Bank Holiday Monday, quickly settled into a pattern: this was the era of the bicycling craze, and for a number of years the Stratford Bicycle Club co-operated with the Boat Club in arranging cycling and athletics events, though there was sometimes trouble with professionals who tried to enter amateur events. There were also events such a pony races, tub races and greasy pole competitions. The early regattas were closed events, but the first open event – won by an Evesham R.C. four – was introduced in 1980, and other open events for fours, pairs and scull followed.
A professional waterman, Rowall of Newcastle-on-Tyne, was engaged to coach the Club’s crews in 1879, at a salary of £2 per week, and the following year another Tynesider, Stephen Renforth, was engaged as a professional coach. The 1880 regatta was the only one to offer a professional scullers’ event, put in, one suspects, as a soft option for Renforth to add to his wages – though no other professionals entered, and the event was not sculled.
The 1880s saw the first great period of Stratford rowing. A Senior Four had been boated in 1879, and a Junior Four won at Tewkesbury that year. Another Junior Four won at Stratford in 1881, and by 1882 the Club had a number of experienced oarsmen and a Senior Four was formed – A. Callaway, W. S. Davies, H. White, and Tim Coles – which won at Twekesbury and Stratford. In 1883, Tom Birch came into the crew at bow, and J. B. Stack deputised at 2 when needed, the crew winning at Stratford, Worcester and Bewdley.
The first committee was Edwin Lockyer Curry (the first captain), J. New (Hon. Secretary), Charles Loggin (Hon. Treasurer), G. Stephenson, George Martin Bird, W. A. Samman, F. A. Lane, J. Butcher and E. Pardoe. A deputation waited on Mr. Arthur Hodgson at Clopton and persuaded him to become the club’s first president, against the advice of the Vicar, the Rev. John Day Collis, who prognosticated gloomily, “Look here, friend, your club will only last three years. No club in Stratford lasts longer than that”.
The Club’s own regatta, held each August Bank Holiday Monday, quickly settled into a pattern: this was the era of the bicycling craze, and for a number of years the Stratford Bicycle Club co-operated with the Boat Club in arranging cycling and athletics events, though there was sometimes trouble with professionals who tried to enter amateur events. There were also events such a pony races, tub races and greasy pole competitions. The early regattas were closed events, but the first open event – won by an Evesham R.C. four – was introduced in 1980, and other open events for fours, pairs and scull followed.
A professional waterman, Rowall of Newcastle-on-Tyne, was engaged to coach the Club’s crews in 1879, at a salary of £2 per week, and the following year another Tynesider, Stephen Renforth, was engaged as a professional coach. The 1880 regatta was the only one to offer a professional scullers’ event, put in, one suspects, as a soft option for Renforth to add to his wages – though no other professionals entered, and the event was not sculled.
The 1880s saw the first great period of Stratford rowing. A Senior Four had been boated in 1879, and a Junior Four won at Tewkesbury that year. Another Junior Four won at Stratford in 1881, and by 1882 the Club had a number of experienced oarsmen and a Senior Four was formed – A. Callaway, W. S. Davies, H. White, and Tim Coles – which won at Twekesbury and Stratford. In 1883, Tom Birch came into the crew at bow, and J. B. Stack deputised at 2 when needed, the crew winning at Stratford, Worcester and Bewdley.
Tip by
6
4.40 km
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Highlight • Cafe
Obviously not the original Shakespeare Theatre, but a similar touristy place as the on ein London - much less 'into the face' though. The shop has quite some nice items, the Café is ok and you can get up to the tower for a view. On the different floors costumes from plays are on display - worth checking them out. If you join a play expect to have a number of school classes in there.
Tip by
7
5.40 km
Colin P Witter Lock (River Avon)
Highlight • River
Colin P Witter Lock is a minor waterways place on the River Avon - Warwickshire (Upper Avon Navigation) between Offenham (16 miles and 2½ furlongs and 8 locks to the west) and Royal Shakespeare Theatre (2¾ furlongs to the northeast).
The nearest place in the direction of Offenham is Seven Meadows Footbridge; 1½ furlongs away.
The nearest place in the direction of Royal Shakespeare Theatre is Colin P Witter Lock Weir Entrance (Channel leading to the Weir); ¼ furlongs away.
This is the Colin P Witter lock on the River Avon at Stratford On Avon. It is the farthest lock upstream on the river.
The river is referred to as the Stratford Avon to distinguish it from other navigable river Avons such as the Bristol Avon.
The river was navigable to Stratford from the river Severn at Tewkesbury in the late 1630s. The Upper Avon (Evesham to Stratford) fell foul of the railways and fell into disuse after 1875. It was finally restored and reopened by HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1974.
Nearly all the locks are named after benefactors who helped either financially or through volunteering during the restoration.
All the locks are double width locks and there are 17 of them in the 45 ½ miles from Tewkesbury to Alveston
The nearest place in the direction of Offenham is Seven Meadows Footbridge; 1½ furlongs away.
The nearest place in the direction of Royal Shakespeare Theatre is Colin P Witter Lock Weir Entrance (Channel leading to the Weir); ¼ furlongs away.
This is the Colin P Witter lock on the River Avon at Stratford On Avon. It is the farthest lock upstream on the river.
The river is referred to as the Stratford Avon to distinguish it from other navigable river Avons such as the Bristol Avon.
The river was navigable to Stratford from the river Severn at Tewkesbury in the late 1630s. The Upper Avon (Evesham to Stratford) fell foul of the railways and fell into disuse after 1875. It was finally restored and reopened by HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1974.
Nearly all the locks are named after benefactors who helped either financially or through volunteering during the restoration.
All the locks are double width locks and there are 17 of them in the 45 ½ miles from Tewkesbury to Alveston
Tip by
8
5.67 km
Lucy's Mill Bridge
Highlight • Bridge
If you take a walk to the end of the Recreation Ground furthest from the town centre and then carry on over the little bridge over the stream, you will shortly see Lucy’s Mill Bridge ahead of you. This version of the bridge was built in 1934 but there has been a bridge of one kind or another here since 1599. Perhaps one reason for walking this far down the river is that, having seen the bridge, you can now cross over, turn right and head towards Holy Trinity Church, the RSC theatre and then back to Waterside and the town centre. A nice circular walk
Tip by
B
10.6 km
End point
Bus stop
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
6.99 km
1.82 km
1.13 km
546 m
Surfaces
6.41 km
2.08 km
1.31 km
691 m
< 100 m
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Weather
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Friday 10 July
31°C
16°C
0 %
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Max wind speed: 19.0 km/h
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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.
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