Stroud and the Cotswold Golden Valleys Tourist Information Guide

Chalford Valley (Golden Valley) - shown above

Chalford is the largest of the valleys where the River Frome runs down the bottom of a deep narrow gorge from Sapperton to Stroud. Chalford village (3miles south east of Stroud) is highly attractive and exisits because of the early Industrial Revolution. It is built on ascending terraces on the south facing slopes of the 'Golden Valley'  and approached by a bemusing series of narrow and often steep lanes and alleyways. This large village consists of late 18th and early 19th century houses, most of which belonged to prosperous clothiers. These are in company with many delightful cottages once inhabited by humble weavers. The popular town of Minchinhampton lies on a tongue of high land between this vally and Nailsworth valley. Minchinhampton detailed information - click here.

Painswick Valley

The Painswick Valley with its fast flowing streams attracted the cloth industry in the 18th and 19th century with some 30 fulling mills established which made the area very affluent. The town of Painswick, known as the Queen of the Cotswolds is a very popular Cotswold Touring destination. 
Painswick detailed information - click here

Nailsworth Valley

The Nailsworth Avon rises near Cherrington, passing through Avening, Gatcombe Wood and Longford's Mill, before it is joined by a small stream at Nailsworth.
Nailsworth was a cloth making town and is situated at the foot of a deep wooded valley with houses spilling down the hillsides.
Nailsworth detailed information - click here

Slad Valley

The Slad valley, again, was a centre of clothmaking until the 19th century when the mills ceased production. The grey-stone village of Slad is scattered along the south-east slope of the narrow valley and has been immortalised by the poet and author Laurie Lee.

Filming location for Cider with Rosie (1998) - The TV adaptation of Laurie Lee's novel telling the story of his life in Slad. life in an Edwardian courture house with love, jealousy and the trials of the private lives of the owners, Beatrice and Evangeline. Starred: Juliet Stevenson.

Cam Valley

In an area lying between Frocester Hill in the north-east, and Stinchcombe Hill in the south-west, the Cotswold escarpment forms a natural amphitheatre around the low lying Cam valley. The large village of Cam is 1 mile north of the town of Dursley and one mill remains here producing high quality cloth used largley for tennis balls, billiard tables and guardsmens's uniforms.

Stroud Town

Stroud was the Industrial centre of the Cotswolds being built upon the wool industry and today is still very much of a working town.

It is a centre for Arts and Crafts and public transportation too and from this region of the Cotswolds. The train station is served from London Paddington.