An Introduction to Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire (shortened as Gloucs) is in west-central England. In the east of the county and shared with Oxfordshire is the beautiful Cotswolds area, with some of the prettiest villages in Britain. This county's strongest appeal is to adults with its scenery, charming villages and small towns, good food, lovely places to stay in and interesting things to see make it one of the best parts of Britain for a relaxing short break and the county offers so much that it attracts over 27 million visitors a year.

The county is principally a dairy and crop farming area and in centre is the fertile valley of the Severn River.

West of the county is the Welsh border and the Wye valley and the Forest of Dean, both ideally suited for touring. The region became part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia and in the Middle Ages the Cotswolds provided wool for an important wool trade in the county.

A significant attraction in the county is the Cheltenham Race Course which includes the Cheltenham Hall of Fame, one of the best displays of horseracing history in the U.K., including Gold Cup winners, the royal connection and an incredible amount of information and exhibits relating to famous riders and trainers (and it is free).

Principal towns in the county include:

Cheltenham : The old spa town of Cheltenham has a first class range of accommodation, restaurants, theatres and shops. As winner of "Beautiful Britain in Bloom", Cheltenham is renowned for its gracious Regency architecture, colourful parks and floral decorations.

The spa waters, which brought fame and royalty to Cheltenham can still be taken at the Pittville Pump Room. Set amongst lakes and parkland, this building is worth a visit. There are a few interesting museums in town as well - of special note is the Arts & Crafts Collection at the Art Gallery & Museum.

If you are into horse racing, Cheltenham offers 16 races a year. The magnificent Cheltenham Racecourse, known across the world as the home of National Hunt racing, is the place to go. The racing season lasts from October to April.

Within the town centre there are many small shops. The tree-lined Promenade is home to some of the best known fashion names, such as House of Fraser, Liberty, Laura Ashley and Jaeger. For small boutiques head for the area of Montpellier and The Suffolks where individual boutiques mix happily with antique shops, cafes and specialist craft establishments

Gloucester, is the capital of Cloucestershire and located in the Severn Vale. It is a laid back place and a good starting point for exploring the Cotswolds.

Within the town there is the Norman Cathedral and a visit is recommended as is the House of the Tailor of Gloucester, the actual shop that Beatrix Potter used as a model for the Tailor's home in her famous story "The Tailor of Gloucester". The nearby Folk and City museums, both individual and fascinating, will lead you through the complete Gloucester story; its extraordinary history, its people, their lives and livelihoods.

Just a short walk from the City Centre, is the Historic Gloucester Docks, home to three fascinating museums - National Waterways Museum, Regiments of Gloucestershire Museum, and the Robert Opie Collection.

The Docks have a specialist shopping centre, waterfront cafes, bars and restaurants and boat trips on the Queen Boadicea II, a Dunkirk little ship offering river cruises. There are also guided tours, a family picnic area, the amazing Antiques Centre, with four floors packed full of treasures, and ample car parking.