Things to do...
We are happy to help you plan Great Days Out, but below is a taste of the locality.
Within easy walkable/cycleable distance:
- Frampton Court Estate: www.framptoncourtestate.co.uk
- The Gloucester to Sharpness Canal: http://www.glos-sharpness.org.uk, which when it was finished in 1827 was the deepest and widest canal in the world.
- Slimbridge the largest collection of waterfowl in the world www.wwt.org.uk/visit/slimbridge
- Nebrow Hill - a very special place 5 minutes' walk away.. In 1998-99 a very enterprising farmer planted 70 hectares with 150,000 mostly indigenous deciduous trees, interwoven with easy walking/cycling tracks, streams and ponds - all a wonderful haven for wildlife.
- The five-bar gate just across Splatt Bridge on the canal (5 minutes' walk) is an excellent point to watch towards the River Severn for owls and raptors in winter and also the evening Starling Spectacular as thousands fly to roost (as filmed in BBC TV Naturewatch)
- Severn Way www.severnway.com (longest riverside walk in Britain - 210 miles - we wouldn't expect you to do all of it!!)
- Severn Bore (www.severn-bore.co.uk) one of Britain's natural wonders - a fascinating and dramatic surge wave which forms in the funnel-shaped Severn Estuary, at its most spectacular in spring in autumn.
- Sailing club (www.fossc.org.uk) idyllically set with 40 acres of available sailing area and running RYA dinghy sailing courses for beginners upwards.
- Highfield Nurseries www.highfieldnurseries.co.uk and maze www.maizemaze.com
- Pan Global Plants www.panglobalplants.com a fascinating array of exotic and unusual plants from around the world
- St Augustine's Friendly Family Farm, Arlingham www.exploregloucestershire.co.uk/staugustines
Local festivals and events in the area.
Frampton on Severn: Frampton Country Fair September www.framptoncountryfair.co.uk Gifford's circus, traditional 1930s travelling circus July www.giffordscircus.com. Frampton Feast - funfair on the green August. Many other Frampton events, theatre - covered and open air, public barbeques etc.
Saul Canal Festival (www.junctionevents.org.uk) - end of June
Stroud Fringe Festival, 2 days of free celebrations and music (www.stroudfringe.co.uk)
Cheltenham is becoming renowned for its many festivals, nearly every month, e.g. jazz, literature, music. www.cheltenhamfestivals.co.uk Also the world famous Cheltenham races (www.cheltenham.co.uk)
Gloucester festivals and events, also too numerous to mention individually (www.visitgloucester.info)
Pubs and restaurants within walking distance
The Three Horseshoes traditional village pub (5 mins)
The Bell family friendly pub with childrens' play area, farm animals etc (7 mins)
Jackie's Restaurant, home-cooked food (4 mins)
Within 4 miles
The Old Passage, Arlingham, specialises in fish on the banks of the River Severn www.fishattheoldpassageinn.co.uk
The Ship, Saul - a traditional pub on the disused (soon to be restored!) Stroudwater canal
The Anchor, Epney - overlooking a tributary of the River Severn
The Red Lion Arlingham - traditional 16th century village Inn with homecooked food and real cider
The Tudor Arms, Slimbridge - an Inn for 200 years
Whitminster Inn - a large affair with 3 restaurants: English, Indian and Chinese www.whitminsterinn.co.uk
Fromebridge Mill, set on the banks of the River Frome. A family friendly restaurant, lots of
buffets/carveries etc.
All the following offerings are within an hour's drive, or less, of The True Heart
Large towns/cities
Cirencester, intriguing Roman town www.cirencester.co.uk
Cheltenham, elegant Georgian spa town www.cheltenham.gov.uk
Gloucester, county capital with its ancient cathedral (used as a film location for several Harry Potter films) and renovated docks www.gloucester.gov.uk
Bristol: bustling city and ancient port www.visitbristol.co.uk
Bath: Elegant Georgian city and home of the UK's only hot springs and of course the world renowned Roman Baths, and new spa complex www.visitbath.co.uk
Stratford upon Avon: needs no introduction as the birthplace of William Shakespeare www.stratford.co.uk
Hereford: www.thisisherefordshire.co.uk
Worcester: www.visitworcester.com both with magnificent and fascinating cathedrals and steeped in history.
You can be in Wales in less than an hour, and visit the magical and dramatic Glamorgan Heritage Coastline, (where some of Lawrence of Arabia was filmed on the Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes, one of the largest sand dune complexes in Europe) www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk), the Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagans, (www.nmgw.ac.uk) one of Europe's foremost open-air museums, and of course Cardiff (www.cardiff.gov.uk), Wales' stylish capital.
Local smaller market towns, villages and places of interest:
Stroud - where Laurie Lee was born and brought up, and the arts and crafts capital of the Cotswolds (Notting Hill with wellies apparently!) with a wonderful and bustling Farmers' Market every Saturday (winner South West Farmers' Market of the Year 2007 and often featured in the media) www.stroudtown.com
Tetbury (www.tetbury.org.uk) with its Royal connections, and nearby Westonbirt Aboretum (www.westonbirtarboretum.com
Malmesbury (www.eilmer.co.uk) (England's oldest Borough) with its fascinating Abbey
Painswick beautiful Cotswold town with magical historic garden www.rococogarden.org.uk
Traditional sleepy Cotswold market towns of Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, Chipping Campden etc (www.cotswold.gov.uk)
There are 29 National Trust properties in the Wessex Region + many events organised by them throughout the year. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The True Heart, The Street, Frampton on Severn, Gloucestershire
Tel: 01452 740504
Email: veronica@thetrueheart.co.uk
