[Closed] Thinking of moving to the Stroud, Gloucester area

1) Yes
2) Yes (Bigfoot and CC-CC both have the correct ride/pub attitude, plus loads of other people around to ride with if you don't fancy a club)

Dave

[i]1) Yes[/i] Yes. Road, CX and MTB, depending on your niche or lack thereof
[i]2) Yes (Bigfoot and CC-CC both have the correct ride/pub attitude, plus loads of other people around to ride with if you don't fancy a club)[/i] Don't forget the recently relaunched STW Cotswold Massiv 🙂

[i]Whilst I'm here anything I ought to avoid when house seeking here[/i]

Stroud

Yes and yes there are some handy riders in the area. Plus between a few of us on here we have every trail covered from Wotton under edge to the Forrest of dean. Drop me a line for any info on Stroud. Locations, schools that sorta thing. Don't listen to IHN (waves) there are some great parts of Stroud. I live in Nailsworth which is lovely and your not far from briz plus cam station is 15 minutes away for train commute.

So the town itself is a bit of a dive?

Nice farmers' market.

I was initially looking at Stroud, but moved to Cheltenham (Leckhampton) in the end - I preferred the feel of the place, and it was more convenient for work.

Dave

1) Yes, Your assumption is correct. Ride from the door, plenty of challenging uphills, great downhills off the commons and through woods.
Plenty of areas to link together towards Cranham, Painswick, Nailsworth, Dursley.

2) I'd love to know? Most of my cycling is by myself. Interested in the replies to this. I did one ride with the Cotswold Massiv, figured they had become even more niche! Where do we find information?

3) There are some excellent pubs selling beer from local breweries in Uley, Stroud and Nailsworth. Finding a good pub will not be an issue.

Re: House Hunting.
Check the aspect of any house, sunny side of the hill at different times of the day. Some of the valley bottoms are dark and cold, get a sunny spot on the hillside and you have epic views and evening sun.
Parking can be a major issue, offroad parking may be important. If you want an example of this drive through Chalford or Woodchester on your house hunting trips. Narrow roads, cars everywhere.

Fair enough, I was being a bit unkind to Stroud. It's okay. Nailsworth is smaller and nicer, as are Cirencester (about the same size) and Cheltenham (bigger). Gloucester has some nice suburbs, but the city centre was poorly served by the Luftwaffe and 1960's planners.

Commuting to Brizzle-wise, Nailsworth, Stroud and 'Nam are better served by trains, by car they're all much of a muchness.

As for Da Cotswold Massiv, we (I) did disappear for a bit, but am now back and fully intend to get some weekend rides up and running again. I'll post stuff on here in the week before so keep an eye out, and I'm thinking about starting a mailing list so drop me a line if you want to go on it. Certainly not niche, just riding normal bikes around whilst enjoying sociable chat/banter and post-ride pints. Then again, maybe normal is the new niche... 🙂

Peter - when did you come along?

IHN,

Couple of Christmas's ago, met at the car park near The Kilkenny on a snowy day. Route went out round Colesbourne, Withington and many other snow covered hillsides, tough route as I remember but good ride.

I very briefly, as a student, shared a house with a bloke from Stroud. He was a dick!

On the strength of that alone, I would never ever go near the place. Never mind live there. In fact... can I organise to have it carpet bombed?

Binners, keep your aggressive mancunian views to yourself! I'm trying to ingratiate myself to the good people of the west country, it's all peace and love down here dude. Ben

The Heaven of the South Ride [url= http://www.heavenofthesouth.co.uk/ ]clicky[/url] might give you some idea for the riding.

Run by [url= http://www.edgemtb.com/ ]Edge MTB[/url] who are a good group (going solely on the basis of buying a bike from one of them last year)

Oh ****, do you know Binners? There's no way you're joining Da Massive then, you're tainted by association with that baldy Manc t0$$pot 😉

Spookily, Binners joined Da Massiv once, and on the same ride that Peter came on. A ride on which, if I remember rightly, I nearly died from exhaustion and hypothermia. All good fun!

Oops. Sorry M'lud *doffs cap*

Hang on a minute though. I thought you owned most of Gloucester? Can you not just have the natives chased off the land by the local yeomanry?

Or am I getting confused with Shropshire?

I did indeed join IHN (my internet twin) and the Cotswolds massive for one of the coldest rides I've ever been on. But then it was January in inches thick of snow. And very nice it was too

I though I remembered Binners on the snow ride, I think the general consensus was that it was hard going, I think whoever was leading cut it slightly short before limbs dropped off.

Looking forward to the next one already,

1) yes over the bridge 😉

[i] I think whoever was leading cut it slightly short before limbs dropped off.[/i]

That wasn't me, I was very much at the back, clinging on for dear life. But thank god they did...

Had a massive burger in the Hungry Horse after though, so that made it okay 🙂

Yes Binners Shropshire you imbecile, christ knows how we survive without more of us going to eton. I was hoping to start afresh without a posh****t badge, looks like I'll have to start a save the Gloucester badger from culling campaign to fit in now.

Hold on, is he a posh ****t?

Then he should definately move to Cirencester.

IHN - Member

Hold on, is he a posh ****t?

Think fast-living, hard-driving playboy. Like a young Prince Andrew, but with better [i]breeding[/i].

Be prepared to tug your forelock.

[i]Think fast-living, hard-driving playboy. Like a young Prince Andrew, but with better breeding.[/i]

Then he'll f***ing [b]love[/b] Cirencester.

Whatever you do, don't lend him your car! No matter what his staff threaten you with

I very briefly, as a student, shared a house with a bloke from Stroud. He was a dick!

Wasn't called Euan by any chance?

This Euan, you don't happen to have a surname.....
Don't worry this area is full of people trying to escape their breeding but in handy distance from waitrose and London and familier faces. Plenty of posh dropouts.

Look, I can't help the quiff my hair just does that and having more than five GCSEs is unusual in Manchester.

It wasn't Euan. But they may have been related

and having more than five GCSEs is unusual in Manchester.

What's a GCSE?

[i]What's a GCSE?[/i]

It's what those of us in Cheshire got whilst you Manc lot played with crayons.

Luckily, you managed to make a career out of it 🙂

However, on checking Cirencester I can confirm the period features and quaint little lanes will really suit the Aston. Even found a house painted pink, f&@king lovely

Is there a nice bistro nearby?

[i]keeps quiet about the fact that he's moving to Cirencester next month[/i]

Apparently, my friend says that there are a number of nice pubs and restaurants in Cirencester. And an excellent Waitrose. And some lovely little bakeries, coffee shops and delis. He, my friend you understand, also said that in many of the surrounding villages there are some wonderful pubs that do excellent food.

lordsalop - Member

However, on checking Cirencester I can confirm the period features and quaint little lanes will really suit the Aston.

Cirencester is rubbish for riding. Not so many Etonians this way, everyone went to Harrow. Thank god that tradition ended with my Dad!

tang - Member
This Euan, you don't happen to have a surname.....

Can't remember, met him in Southampton. Not a nasty guy, just weird.

[i]Cirencester is rubbish for riding. [/i]

I've been looking at this, for my friend you understand, and I reckon that it's not as bad as I, sorry, he, initially thought. Pretty easy to link North through to Bisley, Sapperton, the Duntisbournes, Slad etc. Not a fat lot going South though, dead flat. Nice roadie country though

Yes good point road rides from Cherrington to pretty much Oxford are really good. Cirencester, south cerney, fairford etc. but good off road you need a car. Btw it might be worth noting that cranham is sort of off limits(mostly) for now.

Did this Euan like table football and have a vw bus and be about 40 now?

Hmm would like to know when you all have a ride out. Work in AS
Andoversford and live in Gloucester but have never ridden in the area normaly just go to the FOD

Tang/Mogrim

Yep that's the one Scott taggart IIRC?

lol small world.

The Forrest is great and well worth the drive. Cranham is/was/might be in the future fun woods to lose a couple of hours. The thing with this end of the Cotswolds its all about linking nice bits together with painfully steep lanes. The bonus is there are lots of nice pubs(if thats you're thing) cafes(ditto) in amongst it all. Its good enough to turn out some top riders over the years. Best UK female endurance rider atm lives round the corner from me and my friend up the road has gone pro with UKyouth this year, they love it.
Its not far to SW wales if you want some trail centre action and Black Mountains are close enough for day trips. Crikey even Newport velodrome is no time away if want!

s4rpf - as above, keep an eye out on here, or drop me a mail and I'll stick you on the mailing list (that I need to start now).

[i]with painfully steep lanes.[/i]

Amen. Exhibit A: the lane from the bottom of the valley to the main road in Slad 😯

Live in Dursley myself, handy for Stinchombe, North Nibley, Penn woods, etc to S of Stroud. North you'll have Standish and Maitlands woods, then over to Painswick, Popes wood, Cranham (Summer only if it gets sorted).

Loads of Bridleways to explore and trails to find all round.

FOD only 25 mins away, more trails than you'll ever think, just explore 🙂

Cwmcarn only 50 mins motorway.

Not to sure about Stroud itself, but outlying villages/towns are good.

Stroud's a great place to live, although the nightlife possibilites are a little limited. Same as any town though really, there are some rough spots and some great spots, but definitely more of the latter. I have an 8 month old baby girl and I'm more than happy raising her here, some really good schools. Anyway onto the bloke stuff

Great riding and loads of groups; to add to the above-mentioned groups there's also The Bramblers and Stroud Off-Road Squad not to mention loads of independent guys who you just know from the local spots.

Local woods - standish, cranham, popes, penn (selsley), stinchcombe, north nibley, leckhampton, painswick beacon area and more. Also you've got easy access to Welsh trail centres, Redhill 4x and downhills, and FOD which has enough purpose-built trails/downhills (with uplift) and natural singletrack to keep you going back for ages.

I'm surprised you can get somewhere cheaper in Stroud than Bristol though. Gloucester is the cheapest around here, but then its Gloucester so it would be

If you're looking at houses or want any general info drop me a mail(should be on my profile), I've lived here for 37 years so I've got a pretty good feel for the place

Yes indeed IHN! OS double chevrons a plenty round here! Gotta feel the love for them.

As the day is drawing to a close just thought I'd thank everyone for their informative comments. Please ignore anything by Binners I'm not posh, it's just a matter of relativity.

You may want to lock away yr wives and girlfriends however!

You may want to lock away yr wives and girlfriends however!

Does LadySalop know you're posting on here?

She's probably used to him goosing the serving wenches anyway

lordsalop - Member
You may want to lock away yr wives and girlfriends however!

Think we all know the answer there nbt

So then my Lord, what was the outcome, have you moved yet?