Gloucestershire is not a true coastal county as it only touches the Bristol Channel where the River Severn joins. Gloucestershire is in southwest England and includes the Forest of Dean, large parts of the Cotswolds and the River Severn valley. The Cotswolds take up a large portion of the east and south, The Forest of Dean taking up the west, with the Severn and its valley splitting the two.
Image of The River Severn in Shrewsbury by Chris Bayley
Gloucestershire Coast Search Bar
Where would you like to go? Use our search bar to search across all our local listings, ideal for finding that nearest spot to visit:
Want some ideas on where to visit?
Every favourite location must be visited for the first time. Want some ideas, why not check out the below small selection of coastal locations, including beaches, activities, things to see and do, places to stay and eat:
- Westbury Court Garden was created between 1696 and 1705, and is the only restored Dutch style water garden in the country. A visit will include exploring the canals, fine hedges and working 17th-century vegetable plots and discover many old varieties of fruit trees.
- : 11:00 am - 4:30 pmMonClosedTue10:00 am - 4:30 pmWed10:00 am - 4:30 pmThu10:00 am - 4:30 pmFri10:00 am - 4:30 pmSat11:00 am - 4:30 pmSun11:00 am - 4:30 pmThe Museum in the Park is situated in a Grade II listed 17th Century wool merchant’s mansion house, the museum tells the fascinating story of Stroud’s rich and diverse history. With over 4,000 display artifacts, including dinosaur bones and paintings, there is something to spark the interest of all of our visitors! In addition to the main displays in the mansion house, we have our modern extension which houses a small gift shop and café, alongside a modern, purpose-built art gallery showing a varied programme of exhibitions. Image of the museum by Robin Poitou
- Rolling hills, wide open spaces and biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest rising up above the Stroud Valleys and Severn estuary. Minchinhampton Common is a large (82.7-hectare – 451-acre) area of grassland on the slopes and hilltop. Rodborough Common, 116.0-hectare (287-acre), is just to the North of Minchinhampton Common and has some great views over the Stroud and the Severn Vale. Both of these commons are managed by the National Trust.
- Painswick Rococo Gardens were designed in the mid-1700s by Benjamin Hyett after he purchased the house in the 1730s. Rococo describes a period of art fashionable in Europe in the 1700s, identifiable particularly in furniture and architecture and the gardens at Painswick just outside Stroud in Gloucestershire are one of the only surviving examples open to the public. The gardens are open from late January until the end of October and also have a gift shop, plant sales and a cafe. The gardens also welcome well-behaved dogs.
