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The North Cotswolds needs little introduction, pretty villages and cosy pubs. We are sometimes called the South Cotswolds, but in reality the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty runs all the Way to Bath, so we are The Heart of the Cotswolds, right in the middle.
Easy to get to, great as a base, full of interesting things to do and courses to take, the Cotswold Way is just one of several National Trails that pass through and with villages as well as canals, festivals and entertainment it's a wonderful part of the world.
Come and explore, come and discover the hotcotswolds.....
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15 Self-catering apartments in Stroud - ideal for a couple of nights, a few days or longer. Providing a home from home and a great base for your visit.
Walk the canal or the hills. Bring your bike for road, mtb or something in between, we have a bike store.
It's a 15 minute amble to the train station and coach.
With 5 dog friendly apartments you can bring your pooch, but do message first to check availability.
Free parking. Free wifi. A bike store too...
134 Cainscross Road, Stroud, GL5 4HN
Norman Keep, Medieval castle and assaulted during the Civil War, it's rich in history. Extensive gardens Beautiful walled garden and cafe. Family activities and special events throughout the year. (including jousting).
Edward II was imprisoned and then executed here and buried in Gloucester Cathedral. Why not make a day of it and go and see both.
Tours of the Castle with Charles Berkeley. Also a popular Wedding venue. Open Sunday to Wednesday each week until 31 October (2021) and closed over the winter.
Berkeley Castle, Berkeley, Gloucestershire, GL13 9BQ
Stylish rooms, a sublime spa, amazing spaces to eat and meet… and 220 glorious acres.
Bring the family, bring a certain someone and absolutely bring your appetite. For top-notch feasting, re-imagined relaxation and a little outdoor adventure.
Calcot & Spa, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8YJ
The Cotswolds aonb web site contains lots of interesting information including self -guided walks, information on places to visit and history of the area too.
The Cotswolds was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1966. Covering 790 sq miles, stretching from Bath in the south to Banbury in the north. AONBs together with the 15 National Parks cover around 25% of our countryside.
This gem is hidden away in the Sapperton Valley and sits on the Cotswold Canal towpath, this stretch is part of the Wysis Way. Pretty as a picture and cosy inside, there is a beer garden and even a campsite. Even if you don't want to walk far it's a very short walk into the woods to discover overgrown locks and pools, soon to be uncovered and brought back to life/
Dane Ln, Sapperton, GL7 6LN
1000 years of history in one small town.
A flourishing Market Town from the middle ages, the centre of agriculture for the Severn Vale and a producer of woollen cloth. Following the decline of wool was the rise of engineering. R.A. Lister became famous for agricultural machinery and engines and Mawdsley’s was well known for its electrical machinery.
At the end of the 19th Century Mikael Pedersen came to work for Lister’s and invented his distinctive bicycle, still admired to this day. A restored early example now holds pride of place in the Heritage Centre.
We have displays of machinery and small objects of interest, all made in Dursley, or with very close connections with the town, as well as books to browse and a large video screen showing local scenes and films.
Castle Street, Dursley, GL11 4BS
10 miles south of Gloucester, near the River Severn, is the charming Frampton on Severn.
Home to a large village green, 22 acres in size and reputedly the longest in England, it was known as Rosamund's Green by the mid 17th century, apparently from the village's association with Fair Rosamund. The green has three ponds, two pubs and there is a sailing club tucked away at the far end.
The Domesday Book mentioned the manor of Frampton in 1089. The parish church of St Mary the Virgin was consecrated in 1315, but partly dates from the 12th century, while the congregational church was built in 1769. The designated Conservation Area around the green, includes Tudor and Georgian houses and the village also has a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Much of the village forms part of the Frampton Court Estate, owned by the Clifford family.
The Frampton Country fair is held here each year in September and draws large crowds from all over the UK. The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal runs to the west side of the village and Saul Junction is close by.
The Green, Frampton on Severn, GL2 7EP
Sited on the high ground of the Cotswold Edge, a few miles east of Stroud across the amazing Common, this charming small town feels "remote".
It attractive narrow streets are lined with mellow Cotswold stone houses and cottages with some fine examples of 17th and early 18th-century architecture. These include the ancient columned Market House, elegant Market cross and the imposing church of the Holy Trinity with origins in the 12th century.
With a cracking pub, a delightful tea shop or two and a renowned wedding dress shop, plus some other shops to wander through, it's well worth a look. You might be lucky and see the Highland Cattle being driven up the main street to spend the summer on the Common!
Gatcombe Park, the home of H.R.H. Anne, Princess Royal, and the British Festival of Eventing, is near by too.
It's a pretty town. Nestled into the folds of the hills it gives it's name to one of the Five Valleys.... Nailsworth Valley of course. Full of independent shops, cafes, cracking restaurants, pubs and a market, it's easy to while away a few hours.
It's easy to get here by bus, the bus station is in the middle of town. The old railway cycle path (part of the Sustrans Stroud Valleys Trail, route 45) is a traffic free way to get around and the A46 also passes through on it's way from Stroud to Bath. Visitor Information Centre, at the Library on Market Street.
Old Market, Nailsworth, GL6 0DU
North Nibley village is about 1.9 miles (3 km) northwest of Wotton-under-Edge.You can walk from Nibley to Wotton on the Cotswold Way (search walks on this site) or get the bus.
Villagers run the shop and have also organised the annual Nibley Music Festival, raising lots of money for good causes, including the primary school. Check these out along with The Battle of Nibley, The Tyndale Monument, Westridge walks, cycling, horse riding and the woods and the connection with the TV series Sherlock too.
Nibley is a great place to park and take a walk. Perhaps visit the Black Horse or the village shop and cafe?
Barrs Ln, North Nibley, GL11 6DT
This is the country's sole surviving complete rococo garden. Designed in the 1740s as a fanciful pleasure garden for Benjamin Hyett and his guests, this hidden valley offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and intriguing garden buildings. Snowdrops and bluebells, lots of interest all year. A cafe too and just off the Cotswold Way.
Stockley Way, Painswick, GL6 6TH
Also known as the Ship Graveyard. Ships, barges and other craft were sunk on the river bank between the Severn and the Ship canal between 1909 and 1965 to protect the shipping route to Gloucester. Now an important historical site and an easy flat walk, though beware going in poor weather and the trail can get muddy.
Please don't try to park over the bridge, there isn't room and it's not fair on those who live here. Please use the Purton Car Park (the postcode will take you to it) and then walk over the bridge and turn left to the Hulks.
It can be a there and back walk or perhaps a loop too. Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer OL14
Purton, BERKELEY, GL13 9HS
If Carlsberg made locations to watch the sunset over the River Severn then this would be the best.....probably. It's easy to park and walk (beware peak times can be busy so walking up is an option). The Cotswold Way passes along the edge for stunning views of the Malvern Hills and the Black Mountains. The Sugar Loaf near Abergaveny is easy to pick out on a clear day.
It's an internationally significant grassland home to a breathtaking array of wildflowers, birds and invertebrates and is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It also features a Bronze Age burial mound, 'the Toots'.
Bike, cycle, parascending, dog walk, mtb or just look. Great in the snow too :)
Probably the best known town in the heart of the Cotswolds, it is situated at the meeting point of the Five Valleys, tucked into the western edge of the Cotswold Hills (The Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).
It's a beautiful part of the world with steep sided valleys giving wonderful views, miles of walking or cycling, the canal to explore and The Cotswold Way passes by about a mile to the west.
The town has a long tradition of having an independent spirit and cafe culture. There are frequent festivals, including art, music and book festivals with lots going on throughout the year. Check out "Good on Paper" for listings.
It's about 20 to 25 minutes by car to Gloucester, Cheltenham and Cirencester and 45 minutes to Bristol and Bath so it makes an ideal base.
You can get here by train too, the station is in the town centre.
Central Stroud, Stroud, GL5 1AE
Uley is one of many small and pretty villages nestled into the Cotswold Edge. Here are at least three good reasons to stop awhile:
The Prema Centre, art, learning, live performance and a cafe.
The 17th Century Crown Inn.
Uley Bury, dating from around 300 B.C. and standing high above the village.
Hetty Pegler's Tump, an open burial mound a little further along the Cotswold Edge.
Damn, that's four. Uley Bitter too... oh and Owlpen Manor (5)
The Green, Uley, GL11 5SN
The arboretum is home to 2,500 different species from the far corners of the globe and 5 national tree collections. Discover the perfect place for you to escape, relax or have an adventure! Take a journey up into the canopy on the STIHL Tree Top Walkway, go on a guided walk around the arboretum and stop by the café for a tasty treat.
Westonbirt, Tetbury, GL8 8QS
Wotton's collection of archives, records, photographs and genealogical research material housed in a converted fire station. Exhibitions throughout the year and display items of interest of local and national history, well worth a visit. A quick note: 1086, in the Doomsday Book there were already 10 mills in Wotton, many more would follow.
The Chipping, Wotton Under Edge, GL12 7AD
The Wotton-Under-Edge Historical Society and Heritage Centre is housed in a converted fire station and located in The Chipping. There is always a display to enjoy (and tourist info available) and the centre contains a sizeable collection of archives, records, photographs and genealogical research material.
The Chipping, Wotton-Under-Edge, GL12 7AD