Hardwicke in Gloucestershire – Walks, Shops & The Pilot Inn

Hardwicke is a village to the south of Gloucester, near M5 Junction 12. Nearby, Quedgeley, Waterwells, and Kingsway offer easy access and more local services.

The most historic part of the village is on Green Lane, with older thatched cottages and the Norman church.

Hardwicke Church

Hardwicke has a village green and pond on Green Lane near the Millennium memorial. The village has some old historical cottages but grew in the ’70s and ’80s with many new houses.

Pubs in Hardwicke

The Pilot Inn Hardwicke

The village has 1 pub, The Pilot Inn, on the banks of the Gloucester-Sharpness Canal. It is a great place to visit its beer garden in the summer.

The Pilot Inn

The Pilot Inn is at Sellars Bridge on the Gloucester to Sharpness Canal in Hardwicke. It is a good village pub with a restaurant and a fantastic beer garden. Both the beer garden and the bar area are dog-friendly and are very popular with dog walkers. The pub supplies a bowl of drinking water and has limited rules posted up by the entrance.

The Pilot Inn offers a range of beverages, including a few lagers, such as Moretti. Real ales, cider, and wine are also available, along with soft drinks for non-drinkers or children.

You are welcome to eat in the dining area, bar or beer garden with table service. Their menu is diverse to suit most dietary requirements and tastes. The theme is pub grub, and they serve delights like ham, egg and chips. They offer a variety of burgers, sandwiches, basket meals, or a full English breakfast.

Shops & Services

Hardwicke has two convenience shops, including Tesco and Westbourne News, with a much wider choice of shops and services in nearby Quedgeley, Kingsway and Waterwells.

For local electrical work, PME Services Gloucester Ltd is a Gloucestershire electrician covering Gloucester, Quedgeley, and surrounding areas, providing domestic, commercial, and emergency electrical services.

Buses & Public Transport

The village is on the Stagecoach number 12 bus route, and frequent buses to the city are handy. However, taxis are pricey, but they’re essential for those without a car. A cheaper option is Uber, which I’ve used before; prices vary depending on the time of day, as they surge when it’s busy. I found Uber a handy way to get onto the Cotswold Way route from Hardwicke.

Fast Food

Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat provide food delivery to Hardwicke. However, the choice is more limited than in Gloucester. There is a chippy on the site of the old Morning Star pub.

Hotels & Places to Stay in Hardwicke

Visitors to Hardwicke can stay in hotels and holiday homes in the nearby countryside.

Holiday Inn Express Hotel

The Holiday Inn Express hotel is at Waterwells Business Park. This is the closest hotel to the village. The hotel is located just opposite the Bumble Bee public house and near the park and ride into the city. It offers rooms in many configurations, including larger family rooms and twin rooms, which are ideal for work colleagues to share. The hotel has a bar which serves a limited menu, including pizza and other snacks. Breakfast is buffet-style with many options, including Danish pastries, fried breakfast, cereal, yoghurts, and toast.

Walking in Hardwicke

Canal Walk Sellars Bridge Hardwicke

The village offers some delightful walks. One is the Glevum Way that heads towards St Nicholas’ Church. The Gloucester to Sharpness Canal is a nice leisurely walk, starting at The Pilot Inn.

The River Severn is also nearby, cutting through the fields from the section of the canal between Sellars Bridge and Elmore Lane. Alternatively, you could walk down the lanes to reach the river.

Hardwicke, Gloucestershire

Another pleasant route starts at the pond on Green Lane, then goes down Pound Lane. You then follow the Glevum Way trail to the church and back. This takes in lots of quiet farmland with opportunities to see wildlife, including game birds.

Hardwicke Pond

The pond is at the junction of Pound Lane and Sticky Lane, next to Hardwicke Parochial School and the playing field. The pond is a magnet for local wildlife and is a place to sit on the bench and watch the world and the wildlife go by. Wildlife at the pond includes:

Duck Pond
  • The pond often has a pair of nesting mallards and moorhens.
  • Many wild birds visit the pond
  • Newts have been spotted swimming in the pond
  • Frogs and toads are prevalent in the pond, and in spring you can see frog spawn and tadpoles.
  • Many trees enhance the habitat, including oak trees and a magnificent willow.