Places To Visit in the Cotswolds By Bus or Train: Walks & Pretty Villages

The Cotswolds is a beautiful part of England, with a choice of places to visit for its scenery and countryside walks. It is a popular destination with hikers and people who enjoy pretty villages. Some of my favourite parts of the Cotswolds are the small towns like Cirencester, Stroud and Painswick.

One of the most popular walks in the area is the Cotswold Way, which links up many of the smaller villages and scenic countryside in between. It is a long route, but it is easy to enjoy in stretches for shorter hikes.

Getting About With Trains & Buses In The Cotswolds

The Cotswolds can be challenging to get around without a car, but some of my recommendations are reachable by train or bus with a bit of walking, too. If travelling to multiple places by bus, the Stagecoach passes are great value compared to single fares. Pulhams is also a handy coach company to keep in mind, with some interesting routes in the Cotswolds.

By train, you have limited options for starting points; the main stations in the area are Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud, Kemble, Stonehouse and Moreton-in-Marsh. From these, you can switch to a bus or walk.

Uber also covers the area, which is a handy treat. I recommend booking from a pub as they can take some time. Stagecoach and trains are verified by Henry, my dog, as dog-friendly.

Places To Visit in The Cotswolds

Cirencester

If you enjoy history, beautiful buildings, antique markets or big parks, then Cirencester is a good option. The city centre is beautiful with many Cotswold stone buildings, historic churches and some great shops. Also in the town is the Corinium Museum, which covers Cirencester’s Roman heritage.

Cirencester Park is a big place to stretch those legs and enjoy some beautiful scenery. The houses near the centre are especially worth seeing, too. For foodies, there is a selection of independent restaurants and pubs to pop into, most of which are dog-friendly. I’ve visited many times and enjoy exploring the centre and enjoying a meal out.

Cirencester is near Kemble railway station, which is a short bus journey from the town. It is also on some regular bus routes to larger towns and cities in Gloucestershire. Stagecoach operates most buses to the town.

Broadway

In the Worcestershire part of the Cotswolds, the large village of Broadway is popular with visitors. Broadway has a very picturesque high street with many quaint buildings throughout. The high street has boutiques, restaurants, pubs and cafes.

The village is also on the Cotswold Way walking route, which passes Broadway Tower, a fantastic spot for a walk with scenic views of the nearby countryside.

An interesting way to arrive here without a car is by taking the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, a heritage line from Cheltenham to Broadway. Buses to Broadway require heading to Cheltenham first, then catching the 606 by Pulhams Coaches.

Stroud

Stroud is a great hub for Cotswolds adventures and is well connected to many nearby villages by public transport. It’s a nice town to look around, with sights including the Subscription Rooms, St Laurence Church, and The Shambles. It is located where five valleys merge, so there are many hiking routes to and from the centre, including those in the Slad Valley, made famous by Laurie Lee, the author of Cider with Rosie.

Stroud has many great independent shops where you can purchase unique items. Each Saturday, there is an excellent market which takes over the main streets in the centre. This is my favourite time to visit as it’s great for shopping or enjoying some street food.

Stroud is one of the more straightforward towns to visit, as it is on many bus routes and has a mainline train station. It is also a good hub for visiting smaller villages in the south Cotswolds.

Painswick

Painswick is one of my favourite towns on the Cotswold Way walk, as it’s very picturesque, with its cute houses, churchyard, and famous yew trees. There are also some good places for food and drink; my favourite is the Falcon Inn. Being on a regular bus route means I’ve used Painswick many times as the start or end point of longer hikes in the area.

The Rococo Garden is well worth popping in, especially during snowdrop season in early spring. The hikes on the way to the Beacon or South towards Haresfield and Stroud are very scenic. The trails between the town and Edge are some of my favourite routes, especially in autumn.

Painswick is on a few bus routes; the most frequent is the 66 bus, which links Stroud and Cheltenham.

Wotton-under-Edge

Wotton-under-Edge is a nice town with many facets: historic buildings, good restaurants, and countryside for hiking. We visited the Ancient Ram Inn for a ghost hunt and spent a few nights enjoying what the town had to offer.

The walks around the centre and up into the hills overlooking the town were good; a highlight was the sunrise walks to Wotton Hill. If staying in the town, the Swan Hotel is good and for food, the steaks at The Facon Inn.

There are very few ways to get to the village from other places, and they are infrequent. It’s an ideal place to visit on a walk from bus stops, including Dursley. This one requires quite a bit of planning and bus swapping, and recommends researching on Google Maps before heading this way.

Bourton on The Water

Bourton-on-the-Water is a popular place to visit in Gloucestershire. It is a picturesque place that is sometimes called the Venice of the Cotswolds.

The River Windrush runs through the village, and there are many low bridges across it. The pretty stone houses and other buildings are a big draw for visitors.

There are many attractions to visit while in Bourton on the Water, including a model village, a car museum and the local countryside.

The 801 bus route is one of the best options to visit Bourton-on-the-Water. This links Cheltenham to Moreton-in-Marsh, both of which have good train stations. The route also covers Stow-on-the-Wold and Chipping Norton, so handy for the entire North Cotswolds.

Haresfield Beacon & Edge

My favourite area for walking in the Cotswolds is around Haresfield Beacon and Edge. It’s mostly off-road, with pure countryside, open hills, and woodland trails. It is also popular with MTB enthusiasts. Sunrise is an excellent time to visit the beacon, then hike onwards along the Cotswold Way.

Standish Woods are next to the beacon and on the marked trail; they are hilly, with many route options and clearings for views.

Once you reach the road at the end of the woods, the trail heads into some quieter trails through farmland and woods. This stretch of the walk is especially special in autumn, when the leaves are changing. For a treat, the Edgemore Inn is a good place to stop before popping onto Painswick.

This is a remote part of the walk in terms of bus services; you can either start in Painswick or catch the 63 bus from Gloucester or Stroud, which drops you off near Standish Woods.

Brimscombe Village

Brimscombe is another nice place to visit in the Cotswolds. The village is famous for its wool mills, most of which were founded in the 17th century and were used until recently.

It is a village on the Thames & Severn Canal and River Frome near Stroud. The village has a few nice places for drinks, including the Ship Inn. A short walk down the canal is the Stroud Brewery Tap Room, which serves good beer and food.

Brimscome is under an hour’s walk from Stroud and is covered by many of the small routes in the area, including the 67 bus into Stroud.

Dursely & Cam

Dursley and Cam, to the south of Gloucester, are a handy area to visit because of their public transport links. Dursley has a nice town centre with churches and a unique town hall/market place. Dursley is on the Cotswold Way route and is also near Stinchcombe Hill, Cam Peak and Breakheart Quarry, all good spots for a walk.

Dursley has a train station, so it’s ideal for out-of-area visitors. It also has good bus connections with Stroud and Gloucester.

Stonehouse

A small town on the Cotswold Way walk with a railway station is in the Cotswolds. It is at the edge of the national landscape but a great starting point for walks up to Haresfield or Painswick. Heading south, you can reach Dursley or Wotton-under-Edge.

Stonehouse is also on the Stroudwater Navigation, a canal linking Frampton on Severn with Stroud, and an excellent flat walk. The town has pubs and restaurants and some very good fish and chip shops, perfect for a lunch when hiking.

Stonehouse is on the main railway line that connects Cheltenham with London. It also has many bus routes that pass through the town.