Stroud Farmers Market by bike or foot - Miles without Stiles

The old railway from Nailsworth to Stroud offers an easy ride or walk through the woods to the famous farmers’ market. Spring flowers, birds in the summer, autumn colours and winter views. Frequent return buses.

Distance

4.25 miles / 6.84 km

Duration

2 hours

Difficulty

Unsurfaced paths, basic fitness

Mobility aid rating

Stile free

Shape

Linear

Start

Address

Egypt Mill, Stroud Rd, Nailsworth, Stroud GL6 0AE, UK
View start on Google Maps

OS Grid Ref

ST849999

What3Words

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Refreshments

Egypt Mill Hotel, the Ram Inn GL5 5EL and many more in Stroud.

End

Address

Stroud, Stroud GL5 3AP, UK
View end on Google Maps

OS Grid Ref

SO849051

What3Words

uppermost.widen.skinning

Navigation

Go past the Egypt Mill Hotel and turn L at the sign. Drive on and park where the road forks. Walk or ride down the lane on th eL past more signs and you’r on your way. The old station is above you.

Suddenly you’ve escaped from the urban scene and are in mature woodlands of ash, beech, sycamore and oak, with Nailsworth Stream on you L feeding a series of ponds that lead to Dunkirk Mills 1. Keep a sharp look out for a small vineyard on your R.

At your first bridge (under A46) admire the graffiti art. Then soon afterwards, where you cross Station road at South Woodchester 2, there are bus stops on the main road, should you wish to shorten the walk. Or it’s a short diversion to the Ram Inn uphill on the L.

Pressing on, you cross the stream and negotiate a few small ups and downs and arrive at an elaborate sign 3. Here you leave the railway line to Stonehouse, turn sharp R and go through lower edge of housing estate (Durbridge Meadow) built over a short section of the Stroud branch line.

Keep to the marked cycle path over the stream and between the houses to reach a busy road. Cross it at your personal traffic lights and climb 32 concrete steps to the old railway embankment.

After another fancy sign your route swings round to the R with easy walking and wide views to the L over the river Frome and the Stroud Valley. Soon after you’ve gone under two high road bridges 4, look out for a sharp turn L off the railway track.

Here a short path leads out of the woods through a gate and down onto the wide pavement and a marked cycle track. Here you’ll see the signs for cyclists starting from Stroud and heading for Nailsworth or Stonehouse.

Turn R into town. Near the bottom bear R by a picture framers’ shop and go through a short tunnel to climb to Stroud station. After crossing the canal 5 walkers turn R up Cheapside to the car park, go onto the platform and cross the footbridge into town. Cyclists go straight ahead under the railway bridge.