When Stroud's buses were green (and even red)
Stroud
Where's Stroud?
Stroud
is a market town of character nestled under the Cotswold Hills about 14
miles south west of Cheltenham and 21 miles south east of Gloucester.
The town rises steeply from the valley floor, with individual shopping
streets of character, especially the long, sheer High Street. 
Stroud
acts as a focus for life in the Stroud Valleys and the adjacent
Cotswold hill top villages. The valley floors are characterised by
broken urban ribbon developments and light industry, plus the
associated towns of Nailsworth and Stonehouse.The surrounding Cotswold villages retain much of their character, owing to the grey charm of the local Cotswold Stone. Minchinhampton and Painswick are fine larger villages, while others such as Bisley, Miserden, The Stanleys, Chalford, Woodchester and practically any local village are worth exploring.
The upland Cotswolds that surround Stroud rise to some 700-800 ft and are characterised by large areas of accessible open land known as The Commons. These are now in the ownership of the National Trust, the most famous of which are Minchinhampton, Rodborough & Selsley Commons. They all accord opportunities for walking and horse-riding and of course they all offer panoramic views.
Indeed, Stroud is an ideal base for the nearby Cotswolds.