Stroud

Stroud is at the heart of the Five Valleys in the Cotswolds. It is in Gloucestershire, England. There's many fine, beautiful and interesting things to see but it's not "pretty" in the way that similar sized towns in the Cotswolds or Gloucestershire are. It's a fairly "alternative" place with organic/biodynamic food and a long history of campaigning to save local facilities and landmarks.

Understand
The area around the town is known as the Five Valleys consisting of the valleys of Chalford, Nailsworth, Ruscombe, Slad and Painswick. There are a number of small towns and villages in the area, such as Minchinhampton and Stonehouse.

By train
Trains from London Paddington run hourly via Reading, Didcot and Swindon to Stroud (90 min), continuing to  Gloucester and Cheltenham. Change at Cheltenham for trains from Birmingham and the north.



By bus
Stagecoach Bus 66 runs hourly from Cheltenham to Stroud, taking just under an hour, and continuing to Stonehouse.

By car
From the M5 take exit 13 and follow A419 through Stonehouse. From Bath follow A46. There are several surface-level carparks in the town run by the local council. Use the MiPermit App (or cash) to pay their modest fees. The multi-storey accessed via the London Road is similarly cheap and even free after 3PM. The Five Valleys Car Park is also multi-storey and accessed from near the A46. It's privately run and its enforcement practices are often the subject of comment in local social media.

Get around
The town is small, and much of the shopping district has been pleasantly pedestrianised. (mind the steep hills!)

There are buses every half-hour from Stroud to Stonehouse on weekdays, or it's about an hour's walk.

See
The town and nearby has been an industrial area for hundreds of years so there are many fine old stone mills, weavers cottages, a canal. Little of this has been given serious "heritage" treatment but it doesn't spoil the often beautiful setting in wooded valleys.

Do

 * Subscription Rooms has a large attractive upstairs and puts on concerts, dances and exhibitions.
 * Out and About: although Stroud itself has few attractions, fans of walking and hiking, or if you just want to take the dog for a walk should visit the local information office for popular walking routes, or just take foot and find your own! The Valleys around Stroud offer spectacular views, and if you don't mind a longer walk, a White Chalk Horse can be found.
 * Mountain biking: Stroud has extensive public bridleways that you can legitimately ride on
 * Sports and activities: If you more of a golfer, be sure to check out Rodborough and Minchinhampton common, a large expansive grass land with a full golfing course set out for free. Nearby Minchinhampton Golf club can also accommodate you with an internationally recognised 18 holes and driving range.
 * Football: Forest Green Rovers were relegated in 2024 and now play soccer in the National League, the fifth tier. They play at New Lawn Stadium (capacity 5000) in Nailsworth 3 miles south of Stroud.
 * Next to the Stroud College of Art and Design is the Leisure Centre, with several Tennis/Squash and badminton courts as well as a swimming pool and various 'different' activities from Trampolining to Akido.
 * Stroud's unique ‘Mayor on a Bench’, sessions, where local residents can voice their concerns to the Town Council, are held most Wednesdays in Kendrick Street from 11:30AM-12:30PM.
 * Stroud's unique ‘Mayor on a Bench’, sessions, where local residents can voice their concerns to the Town Council, are held most Wednesdays in Kendrick Street from 11:30AM-12:30PM.
 * Stroud's unique ‘Mayor on a Bench’, sessions, where local residents can voice their concerns to the Town Council, are held most Wednesdays in Kendrick Street from 11:30AM-12:30PM.

Events
The free local monthly arts and culture magazine "Good On Paper" lists many events and can be picked up in many pubs and shops in the town.
 * Country Market, every fourth Saturday morning in Mortimer Garden, Nailsworth.
 * Nailsworth Food Festival, mid September.
 * Goodwill evening, Nailsworth, last Friday in November.
 * Goodwill evening, Nailsworth, last Friday in November.

Buy
Loads of shops along the pedestrian high street. Many non-chain shops too!



Eat
There are various fast food outlets in Stroud (including Subway, McDonald's and Burger Star) despite opposition from locals. Other cafés:
 * Woodruff's. Organic café at the top of the high street, offering home-made food and lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Lunchtime meal £8-12.
 * Mill's café. Down a (nice) alleyway towards the top of the high street. Two different meals each day, generous and delicious. Wide selection of home-made cakes. Lunchtime meal £6-10.
 * Spuds. In the Merrywalk's precinct. Cheap baked potatoes and baguettes to go, though you can sit if you wish. Relatively cheap (roughly £3 per potato or baguette)
 * Mother nature. Middle of the high street, down an alleyway. Fresh made-to-order sandwiches, baps, baguettes and paninis to go.

Drink
There are various cafés and coffee shops in Stroud, including Mother nature, Woodruff's and Mill's mentioned above, which serve freshly-baked cakes and tarts. There is a Costa Coffee at the top of the high street.

The main club in town is the Warehouse, only open on Saturday nights and costing £6 to get in (£3 before 11:30PM). A newer, less popular club, Junction 13, is at the top of town. It's open Friday and Saturday nights and costs £4 to get in (before 11PM it's free). These clubs aren't great, though, and Stroud can get quite nasty at night. Nearby Cheltenham is much better for evening entertainment.



Connect
As of June 2021, Stroud has 4G from all UK carriers, but with many dead spots in the Cotswold valleys. 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

 * Gloucester the county town is a pleasant old cathedral city.
 * Cheltenham a few miles further northeast has a splendid Regency centre.
 * Cirencester was the Roman capital of the Cotswolds.