Car Hire Stroud

Stroud, home to approximately 13,500 residents across the district, sits perfectly positioned for exploration via major routes including the A419 from Swindon, A46 from Bath and the M5 motorway with Junction 13 just five miles west of the town centre. The area enjoys a temperate maritime climate, with comfortable summers reaching 22°C in July and crisp winters dropping to around 9°C in February, making it an appealing destination throughout the seasons.

Stroud serves as the cultural heart of the southern Cotswolds, renowned for its award-winning Saturday farmers’ market (one of the largest in the country), thriving independent shops and strong environmental credentials. The town’s rich industrial heritage includes beautifully restored textile mills now housing galleries, restaurants and creative businesses, whilst the steep surrounding hillsides offer spectacular walking opportunities including the Cotswold Way National Trail.

Attractions In Stroud

Visit valleys market town and alternative culture attractions, featuring independent shops, farmers’ markets, arts venues, historic mill buildings and scenic walks through the famous Five Valleys surrounding this vibrant community.

Stratford Park

We find ourselves drawn repeatedly to this exceptional 56-acre parkland at 31 Stratford Road, where visitors consistently award it 4.5 stars from over 1,500 reviews. Open from dawn until dusk daily, the park seamlessly combines heritage conservation with modern amenities, featuring over 800 mature trees including magnificent Cedars of Lebanon and an arboretum that showcases the region’s botanical diversity. We also found a lake, lido, gardens orangery, sports courts, playground and many more things there.

Museum In The Park

This remarkable institution housed in a Grade II listed 17th-century building provides you with free admission to over 4,000 exhibits ranging from archaeological discoveries to local historical artefacts. The self-service café accommodates visitors throughout the day and access to the secret walled garden through the museum adds an unexpected element of discovery to your visit.

Walled Garden

The Walled Garden at Hall’s Croft in Stratford-upon-Avon surrounds the former home of Shakespeare’s daughter, Susanna and her physician husband, Dr John Hall. The restored walled garden is home to some rather weird and wonderful plant species, which the doctor would have incorporated into his treatments. This tranquil Jacobean garden features medicinal and culinary herbs that reflect 17th-century medical practice, offering visitors insight into Tudor physic gardens and the practical knowledge of physicians during Shakespeare’s era.

National Trust – Woodchester Park

Woodchester Park is a National Trust property in a secluded wooded valley near Nailsworth, Gloucestershire. Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the park has been the focus of some of the longest-running mammal studies in the world and is home to rare greater horseshoe bats. Featuring a chain of five lakes, an unfinished Victorian Gothic mansion and waymarked trails through historic parkland, the park offers visitors a tranquil retreat into nature and showcases the National Trust’s conservation work in the Cotswolds.

Swift’s Hill Nature Reserve

Available for exploration 24 hours daily on Knapp Lane, this elevated reserve rewards you with spectacular panoramic views and seasonal wildflower displays. The hilltop location provides exceptional photographic opportunities, particularly during spring and summer months when the diverse flora creates stunning natural carpets across the landscape.

Selsley Common

This remarkable viewpoint offers you some of Britain’s most dramatic vistas, encompassing the Severn Valley, Forest of Dean and Welsh mountains in a single sweeping panorama. The scale of the landscape feels almost prehistoric, with rolling green countryside extending from the Stroud valleys to the distant Malvern Hills, creating an unforgettable viewing experience.

Planning to explore the surrounding area? Consider these excellent destinations easily accessible by car:

• Randwick
• Stonehouse
• Bisley
• Quedgeley
• Cambridge
• Dursley
• Tetbury
• Gloucester

Juniper Hill

Located along Unnamed Road, this peaceful nature reserve remains open continuously for your exploration. We often recommend this location for its elevated perspectives across the surrounding countryside and its accessibility for visitors seeking quieter alternatives to the more popular attractions in central Stroud.

RMC – The Cave

Located on the second floor of Belvedere Mill in Chalford, this innovative technology museum offers you hands-on experiences with computing and 50 years of gaming history. The engaging staff create an interactive atmosphere, whilst afternoon arcade sessions provide nostalgic entertainment that appeals to visitors across different generations, complete with carefully curated music playlists.

Sim’s Clock

This treasured monument stands prominently on George Street, serving as both a historical landmark and a popular gathering point in Stroud’s vibrant town centre. The clock was built in 1921, funded by wine merchant William Thomas Sims of Uplands, who initially envisaged it as the town’s war memorial before another was later erected in Park Gardens. Prior to the clock’s installation, the location housed a horse watering trough and subterranean men’s lavatory.

Rodborough Fort

Rodborough Fort is a Victorian fortification located on Rodborough Hill near Stroud in Gloucestershire, England. Built between 1870 and 1872, it was part of a series of forts constructed during fears of French invasion. The polygonal structure occupies a commanding position overlooking the Stroud valleys but never saw military action and was declared obsolete shortly after completion. Sold by the War Office in 1899, it has since been converted into private residential accommodation. Today, the Grade II listed building remains a notable landmark, with its elevated position offering impressive views across the Cotswold landscape..

Stroudwater’s Lodgemore Bridge

Lodgemore Bridge is a distinctive lift bridge on the Stroudwater Canal in Stroud, Gloucestershire, which opened in January 2016. The first of a new design for the Cotswold Canals, it replaced an outdated fixed swing bridge that obstructed navigation. The bridge is hydraulically operated via a hand pump mechanism located in a console on the towpath. Measuring 4 metres wide with a 30-ton weight limit, it provides access to an industrial site housing Stroud’s last remaining textile manufacturing plant.

Stratford Park Railway

This delightful miniature railway attraction within Stratford Park offers you a nostalgic journey through the park’s scenic landscape aboard charming locomotives. The railway operates seasonally and provides an entertaining conclusion to your Stroud exploration, combining heritage transport enthusiasm with family-friendly entertainment in beautiful natural surroundings.