Gloucestershire

The Severn Valley has its origins in the hilly countryside around Tewkesbury, flowing south-west through the shifting sands and   flat  grasslands of the Vale of Gloucester, broadening as it slides past the Vale of Berkeley and on toward the Atlantic. Sparsely populated for much of its course, apart from birdlife, the Severn has one of the largest tidal ranges in the world. Standing defiantly in the centre of these flat planes is the ancient and solid city of Gloucester; steeped in history it is a busy commercial centre with a bustling port and splendid cathedral. Gloucester stood at the convergence of a number of major Roman highroads and was a rich agricultural township in the early centuries AD.   East of Gloucester the land rises towards the wooded slopes of the Cotswold Hills; wool production and stone quarrying provide the Cotswolds with their   unique and distinctive character. In Shakespeare's day this was sheep country and the centre of England's wool industry. Rich wool merchants built most of the grand manor houses and noble churches typical of Cotswold country, between the 15th and the 17th cent's; fine examples are Chipping Camden and Stow-on-the-Wold where old and new blend into a harmonious whole.

Medieval villages grew up alongside rushing streams that powered the mills to produce woollen cloth and the grey-gold radiance of Cotswold stone. The source of the mighty River Thames lies three miles south of Cirencester at a spot appropriately called Thames Head while the Cotswold Way is a 100 mile trail marked out by the Rambler's Association. Minor roads criss-cross Cotswold country in eccentric patterns providing perfect touring conditions with surprises around every corner; steep-sided hills with grazing sheep give way to colourful beechwoods that lead into peaceful villages of mellow Cotswold stone glowing in the sunlight.The western borders of the county are formed where the sinuous Wye Valley weaves a path through wooded hills beyond the Royal Forest of Dean; it is effectively isolated from the rest of Gloucestershire lying to the north of the River Severn. In its time this ancient forest has been a wildwood, a royal hunting ground, a naval timber reserve and an important mining and industrial region - today it provides the visitor with a rich and varied landscape set in an enchanting timeless atmosphere. The forest covers some 27000 acres containing an estimated 20 million trees comprising mostly oak and beech; intermingled is a variety of other species including birch, ash, conifer and holly. Foresters live and work in and around the forest, enjoying traditional privileges granted many centuries ago. Further information on the background and history of the Royal Forest and of its inhabitants is obtainable at the Dean Heritage Centre at Lower Soudley.