Visit Dursley A Town in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire

Dursley is a market town in the south of Gloucestershire in the Cotswolds. It’s a nice place to visit and a great starting point for a longer hike. Dursley is actually on the Cotswold way, a long distance walking route. Hills and beautiful countryside surround the town. The nearby hills have some fantastic views of both the Cotswolds and the Severn Estuary.

Dursley is a great place to visit for a day trip, if you are local to Gloucestershire. However, it is also a great base camp for a holiday in the Cotswolds. There are many options for places to visit nearby if you choose to stay. The town has a tourist information centre, to promote local events and things to do.

Getting to Dursley in Gloucestershire

Dursley is easy to reach from the M5 motorway if travelling by car. However, it also has a railway station so you can reach the town by train. Also, there is a regular number 65 bus service from Gloucester and Stroud.

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Where to Stay?

There are many options for holiday homes or bed and breakfasts in the Dursley area. Thus, making it a fantastic base camp to explore the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire. Some of these are also pet friendly places to stay.

Pubs & Restaurants in Dursley

There are many options for pubs, cafes and restaurants to visit for refreshments while visiting Dursley. This includes some great options for dog friendly eateries in the town and nearby villages.

Kings Head Pub

The Kings Head is a bar and restaurant in the town centre near to the town hall. They have a fantastic menu that features lots of locally sourced food. This includes slow cooked venison starters, steaks, burgers and more. They have a good range of drinks, including a fantastic wine menu. They also have a courtyard garden which is ideal on a warm day.

Bank Cafe

The Bank cafe is a lovely place with both indoor and outside seating. They serve some fantastic locally sourced food which is all cooked to order. They are also a fantastic place to visit for a coffee. As a bonus, Bank Cafe is also dog friendly.

Hummingbird Cafe a Dog Friendly Place

Hummingbird is a cafe and bar in the town centre that is dog friendly. They have both inside and outside seating. It’s a quirky cafe that serves great Caribbean food, including breakfasts and lunches.

Things to See & Do and Place to visit Near Dursley

There are a few interesting things to see in the town centre and even more places of interest nearby. There are some top tourist attractions and many options for things to do.

The Town Hall

The centrepiece of the town is the town hall, which doubles up as a covered marketplace. King Henry VIII granted the right to hold markets in the town. He granted them to the lord of the manor, Nickolas Wykes, in November 1528. They built the current design in 1738 in the neoclassical style of architecture. It has been renovated and preserved over the years and is a grade II listed building. It’s a lovely building for a mooch around and to see some of its decorative features.

Farmer’s Market

Dursley Farmers Market is a great place to buy supplies on holiday or for locals, too. The farmers’ market is housed under the pretty town hall building. The market sells local produce from local farmers and food producers. They host this market once a month between March and December on the second Saturday of the month. It’s open from 8.30am-1pm.

Visit the Nearby Owlpen Manor

Owlpen Manor is a grade I listed building with Tudor origins and has an interesting history. The Tudor Manor House has over 800 years of history, with Arts and Crafts furniture and also there are reports of ghosts. You can book a tour of the manor and its gardens via their website. You can also book a room at one of their holiday cottages.

St James Church

Near the town hall in the centre of Dursley, is St. James the Great Church. The church has a lovely building and gardens too. They originally built a place of worship in the 15th century. However, they added the tower in the 18th century. The church building is pleasant to have a mooch around or attend a service.

Shopping on High Street

There are quite a few shops to see while visiting the town. This includes some interesting food shops selling local produce. The town has many options to get holiday supplies if you are visiting self catering, including supermarkets.

Enjoy One Of The Walking Routes Near Dursley

There are countless walking routes and circular walks in the vicinity, thus a great place to visit for a walking holiday.

Breakheart Quarry

For an interesting walk near to Dursley, head to Breakheart Quarry. You can park up and explore the quarry or incorporate this into a longer hike from the town. You can see the unique geology of the area and spot some wildlife.

Stinchcombe Hill

This is a lovely place for a walk and a popular place for a stroll. The hill is a beautiful part of the Cotswolds and near the top are some splendid views. You can start a walk here is from Leaf & Ground, a lovely garden centre. They also have a place for refreshments before or after hitting the trails.

Join The Cotswold Way

The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile footpath, running along the Cotswold Edge escarpment of the Cotswold Hills. It is a popular hiking route for multi-day or week-long hikes through the area, or sections of it for day-long walks. The Cotswold Way trail runs from Bath to Chipping Campden or in reverse, depending where you wish to end. The hiking trail passes through Dursley, thus you can join the walk and head in either direction.