The County of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is bisected north to south by the River Severn. To the east of the county and beyond lie the Cotswolds, a vast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty spanning 5 counties, and home to many quintessentially English honey-coloured stone villages and market towns, amid rolling hills and spectacular views.
The Gloucestershire Cotswolds are no exception, and have many places worth visiting:
- Stroud – an old mill town, the meeting point of five valleys, with its award-winning Farmers Market on Saturdays and independent shops. Stroud is an area that also covers many surrounding Cotswold stone villages and rural landscapes.
- Bibury – known as ‘the prettiest village in Gloucestershire and thought by William Morris to be ‘the most beautiful village in England’.
- Tetbury – an old wool town, now, since 1980, home to King Charles, Queen Camilla and family.
- Cirencester ‘The Capital of the Cotswolds’, an historic Roman town complete with amphitheatre, now a vibrant market town.
- A drive up the Fosse Way, a Roman road linking Cirencester to Leicester (A429), will take you through some iconic Cotswold destinations:
- Bourton-on-the-Water – the Venice of the Cotswolds
- Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh – both historic market towns
A selection of things to do in the area include:
- Westonbirt Arboretum near Tetbury – possibly the most important arboretum in the UK.
- Woodchester Mansion and Park, Nympsfield near Nailsworth.
- Berkeley Castle – a stunning 12th century castle, the oldest inhabited castle in England.
- Sudeley Castle and Gardens – offering 1000 years of important Royal history.
- The Severn Bore – come at high tide to watch surfers ride the bore from the sea to Gloucester.
- Slimbridge Wetland Centre – one of ten Wildfowl and Wetland Trust centres in UK.
- Walk the Cotswold Way – the 102 mile footpath that follows the Cotswold escarpment.
Gloucestershire is bisected north to south by the River Severn. To the east of the county and beyond lie the Cotswolds, a vast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty spanning 5 counties, and home to many quintessentially English honey-coloured stone villages and market towns, amid rolling hills and spectacular views.
The Gloucestershire Cotswolds are no exception, and have many places worth visiting:
- Stroud – an old mill town, the meeting point of five valleys, with its award-winning Farmers Market on Saturdays and independent shops. Stroud is an area that also covers many surrounding Cotswold stone villages and rural landscapes.
- Bibury – known as ‘the prettiest village in Gloucestershire and thought by William Morris to be ‘the most beautiful village in England’.
- Tetbury – an old wool town, now, since 1980, home to King Charles, Queen Camilla and family.
- Cirencester ‘The Capital of the Cotswolds’, an historic Roman town complete with amphitheatre, now a vibrant market town.
- A drive up the Fosse Way, a Roman road linking Cirencester to Leicester (A429), will take you through some iconic Cotswold destinations:
- Bourton-on-the-Water – the Venice of the Cotswolds
- Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh – both historic market towns
To the west of the river lies the Forest of Dean, one of the surviving ancient woodlands of England. The area has a history of coal, iron ore and sandstone mining, and many of the places to visit are linked to this heritage:
- Hopewell Colliery, a working mine and café which offers tours to see how coal is mined.
- Clearwell Caves, a natural cave system 100 feet below ground that was once mined, and is now a public museum, art space and a true adventure for any explorer or history lover.
- The Dean Heritage Centre, a museum and interactive centre with a woodland Gruffalo Trail.
One of the largest forests in the country, with hundreds of miles of trails to explore, it is also a great place to go for outdoor fun:
- Puzzlewood – an ancient and rare bit of temperate rain forest with unique tree formations, which is like ‘stepping into a fairy tale’.
- Go Ape – high octane monkey business!
- Beechenhurst Sculpture Trail – designed to evolve as the forest changes around them.
- The River Wye for kayaking, canoeing or fishing.
- Symonds Yat Rock – World famous viewpoint with spectacular views of the Wye Valley.
Looking further afield, it’s only a short car drive or train journey to the valleys and mountains of Wales, the famous Bull Ring of Birmingham, or to Bristol, the culture and arts capital of the West.
