Villages

Near to Owlpen

Tetbury

A market town known for its antique shops. Good cafes and restaurants and lovely Cotswold buildings. It’s a great village for wandering round and exploring the shops. Highgrove Gardens and Westonbirt, the national Arboretum are close by (both require pre booking).

Painswick

A town lined with beautiful buildings and a famous parish church. Local legend says that is impossible to count all of the yews in the Painswick churchyard, as they keep moving. Painswick is the mid-point of the Cotswold Way and is surrounded by lots of walks. The walk to Painswick Beacon offers spectacular views.

Stroud

Interesting local shops and all the practical things you’d need. It’s home to Woodruffs Organic Café, Britain’s first organic café.

Nailsworth

A pretty, small town in a Cotswolds valley with shops, cafés and restaurants.

Dursley

This town was hit hard after the local factories closed in the 1980s but it has everything you need and is the nearest town to Owlpen for the supermarket, pharmacy and other high street shops. It has a pretty setting and some good cafés (Owlpen recommends Bank, Belle’s Kitchen) and a local sweetshop (Hewitts).

Further afield in the Cotswolds

Cirencester

The “Capital of the Cotswolds” is a beautiful market town with history dating back to Roman times. It’s a good spot for boutique shopping and cosy cafes.

Bibury

Known for its honey-coloured cottages in Arlington Row, this village is incredibly photogenic and was described as “the most beautiful village in England” by William Morris. It can get very popular with tourists but is a very beautiful town to wander round.

Bourton-on-the-Water

Another spot on the tourist trail, for good reason. Bourton-on-the-Water is a beautiful village with quaint riverside tea rooms and a model village. It has a shallow river running through the centre which is very picturesque.

Stow-on-the-Wold

A classic market town with a town square, antique shops and inviting pubs. The cheese shop here is excellent! St. Edward’s Church is famous for its magical, tree-framed door which is said to have inspired Tolkien.

Winchcombe

A charming and less touristy gem. It’s a gateway to Sudeley Castle and is surrounded by rolling hills and trails like the Cotswolds Way.

Lower Slaughter

A great place for a peaceful stroll, the riverside walk to Upper Slaughter offers serene and picturesque views. Lower Slaughter itself is a small village with a stream and stone cottages.

Castle Combe

Often referred to as England’s prettiest village, Castle Combe is one of the more popular villages to visit. It has cobbled streets, ancient stone cottages and a scenic bridge.

Broadway

This quintessential English village is a favourite for art lovers and walkers. There are nearby trails leading to the Broadway Tower. The town has boutique shops, galleries and cosy tearooms to explore.

Wales

There is a lot to visit in the border country. The area has beautiful scenery like the Wye Valley, the Forest of Dean and The Black Mountains. The town Hay-on-Wye is very charming and full of bookshops and galleries.