You are here: Plan > Towns & Villages > Nailsworth
About
The artistic, market town of Nailsworth is nestled in a wooded valley to the east of Stroud, in the south Cotswolds. Nailsworth is renowned for its selection of award-winning restaurants, pubs and cafes.
Eating out in Nailsworth means you are spoilt for choice. Hobbs House Bakery is famous for being owned by the Fabulous Baker Brothers – Tom and Henry Herbert – and was featured on their TV show.
William’s Food Hall has helped turn Nailsworth into a foodie haven. It draws celebrities and foodies through its doors to dine on fresh seafood and local produce.
Things to do in Nailsworth include browsing the lively Nailsworth’s Farmers’ Market, which takes place on the fourth Saturday of every month. Afterwards, enjoy some shopping in Nailsworth. There are some lovely independent shops, where you can enjoy shopping for gifts, art, pottery, furnishings and antiques.
The Nailsworth Festival is a family-friendly festival and draws in all ages. It is held every May and includes art and music events.
It is a little-known fact that Nailsworth has the largest number of working water wheels per square mile in the country. Follow the mill trail and you can see Ruskin Mill (a centre for artistic activity) and the Stroudwater Textile Trust’s Weaving Shed at Gigg Mill nearby.
The Cotswolds & Severn Vale 7-day cycle tour routes through Nailsworth. Cyclists can also explore the eight-mile cycle-way following the old railway line to Stonehouse. This is a family-friendly route because it is traffic-free and fairly flat.
In contrast, the Nailsworth Ladder is a steep route, leading to National Trust common land and the mysterious and haunted Woodchester Mansion.
Up the hill from Nailsworth, Forest Green Rovers play in the football league. Unusually, the club is the first vegan club in the country serving all vegan food and beer.
Accommodation in Nailsworth includes bed & breakfasts and self-catering cottages. There is also a green eco-friendly campsite in nearby Nympsfield.