Gloucestershire is located in the Southwest of England and is made up of three unique regions to explore: the Cotswolds, the Royal Forest of Dean and the Severn Vale.
With a variety of excellent hotels and bed & breakfasts to choose from, as well as some stunning outdoor accommodation options, Gloucestershire offers the discerning traveller something a little bit different. With the Clearwell Caves, Chedworth Roman Villa and Cotswolds, you have something different to experience every day.
Food is one of the jewels of the Gloucestershire crown, with riverside restaurants and manor hotels attracting visitors throughout the year. Indeed, good food can be enjoyed at many of Gloucestershire’s local pubs and restaurants all year round not to mention a drink or two with the friendly locals.
Royal Forest of Dean
The Royal Forest of Dean is nestled between the Wye Valley and the Severn Valley and is one of England’s few ancient forests. For visitors who enjoy sporting activities there are golf courses, while for the less competitive of you, there are other activities to take part in, including mountain biking, walking, segways, cookery schools and miniature golf.
The Forest of Dean also offers beautiful countryside for visitors to enjoy, with the area cited as a source of inspiration for writers including J.R. Tolkien and JK Rowling. With activities like sculpture trails, canoeing and mazes to explore, children visiting the Forest of Dean will also have plenty of choice throughout their stay. The highlight for many kids is the popular steam train ride through the forest. Make a day of it with picnic facilities available throughout the forest.
Close by the Forest of Dean is Hillside Brewery. Take a tour and learn the process of how this local ale is created and sold throughout the UK. Enjoy a glass of ale and views over the Cotswold at the tour end, a moment you’ll certainly savour.
The Cotswold
Gloucestershire forms the greater part of the Cotswold region, famous for its limestone walled villages within a beautiful relaxed rural setting. The Cotswold offers fantastic walking and cycling routes, with beautiful gardens to observe and a bustling farmers market to enjoy all combining to offer visitors to the area a great insight into the true English countryside life.
A visit to Gloucester Folk Museum provides an interesting insight into this county’s social history. From historic costume to a reconstructed Victorian classroom, all of these elements of Gloucester’s social history can be found within the museum. No visit to the county is complete without seeing the treasures from a bygone era held within this fantastic museum.
If museums are your thing then the Gloucester Waterways Museum is also nearby with plenty of hands on fun and interactive exhibitions for all the family to enjoy.
Entertain the kids for half a day with a visit to Perrygrove Railway Adventure Park, with steam rides and adventure activities for the family to enjoy.
Garden enthusiasts to Gloucestershire can visit up to 90 gardens opened to the public by their proud owners. You will receive a warm welcome and hopefully gain some inspiration for your own garden.
Gloucestershire’s chosen sport is cricket if you are in the area stop by and watch this popular English sport. Some local games offer visitors the opportunity to take part.
And They’re Off!
Finally, no trip to Gloucestershire would be complete without stopping by the popular horse racing town of Cheltenham. Home to the world-famous Cheltenham Festival, the town itself is a real hub of equine activity with numerous horse festivals throughout the year, culminating in the Cheltenham Festival every March.
If you’re visiting Gloucestershire at any other point in the year, be sure to check the racing calendar at Cheltenham Racecourse. It is a truly majestic racing venue and something for sporting enthusiasts to experience on their travels. You can even get a guided tour of the racecourse and behind the scenes access to the stables, grandstands and the racecourse itself.