Along the Severn
The Severn Way
From your Cowshed wander down with the farmhouse on your right to join the Severn Way. There's an OS map in the Cowshed you're very welcome to borrow.
Turn left towards Bullo Pill and Newnham, or right into Awre and across land recently acquired by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, where former farmland is being returned to saltmarsh. Continue a little further and you'll reach an old salmon fisherman's hut, now weathered and boarded up, with wonderful views across the widening estuary. Sunrise and sunset here are particularly special, especially on days when the tides race in. Carry on past the donkeys and sheep before turning up Woodend Lane to loop back through Awre village. If you're walking back down the drive, please give grazing livestock plenty of space, particularly cows with calves.
In Awre itself, The Bull family live in the Old Vicarage and produce Severn Cider - their small honesty-style shop sells cider, homemade preserves and a handful of local produce. It's worth checking Facebook or giving them a call before visiting, particularly if you're hoping to coincide with Blossom Day in spring, Apple Day in autumn or one of their summer events.
Newnham on Severn
Our nearest town is also home to our own restaurant, Post where all our Three Doves guests receive our friends & family discount - more info upon booking.
Newnham is one of those places that's easy to overlook, but worth slowing down for. Once a thriving inland port on the River Severn, many of its timber-framed and elegant Georgian buildings hint at its prosperous past before trade shifted to the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. Today it's a peaceful riverside town, particularly lively whenever the Severn Bore is due.
For food, The Black Pig serves excellent pizzas from Friday evening through to Sunday lunchtime. The Railway Inn is a proper locals' pub, while just outside town, The White Hart at Broadoak is a pleasant spot for a pint overlooking the river.
Littledean
If you're around from Thursday to Saturday, Bespoke Brewery is well worth the short detour. In warmer months, the taproom spills out into festoon-lit barns with wood-fired pizzas from Pigs Pizza, while winter brings crackling wood burners and a wonderfully cosy atmosphere. Families are well catered for too, with a children's play barn allowing grown-ups to linger over another drink. Hips Social also has a small outpost here, serving excellent coffee and pastries (check opening days)
Westbury on Severn
Back in the Gloucester direction lies Westbury. The Lyon Inn is a dependable local pub, while Westbury Court Gardens is one of Gloucestershire's hidden gems. Managed by the National Trust, it's the country's only restored Dutch water garden and is particularly lovely from late spring onwards. Do check opening times before setting off.
Just outside the village you'll find Severn & Wye Smokery, which has a well stocked fishmongers. The horsebox takeaway is great, the cafe and restaurant have previously leaned towards slightly faffy cooking, though it's recently changed chefs, so we'd love to hear what you think.
Longhope
Forest Bakehouse is reason enough to leave the Cowsheds early. Open Wednesday to Saturday, it produces outstanding sourdough, pastries and excellent coffee. There are benches outside, but nowhere indoors, so pack a jumper if the weather's cool. We often find ourselves inventing an excuse to head that way folllowed by a ramble up May Hill which is the hill you see from the bottom of our garden, crowned with a prominent clump of trees. It was often used as a beacon to ships navigating the River Severn but how and why the trees ended up there is source of much myth and legend. The trees’ dwindling numbers were restored by further planting in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria and passed into the care of the National Trust in 1935. Today, May Hill is also a spiritual site, hosting Summer Solstice celebrations. It’s a lovely walk with wild horses and summit views to twelve other counties (on a clear day!)
Gloucester & beyond
Although only three miles away as the crow flies, WWT Slimbridge sits on the opposite bank of the Severn, making it around an hour by car. If you're staying for several days, it's well worth the journey and not just for birdwatchers.
On the way, consider stopping in Gloucester. The soaring fan vaulting and stained glass of Gloucester Cathedral are impressive whether or not you're interested in ecclesiastical architecture, while Harry Potter fans may recognise parts of the cloisters from the films. Gloucester Docks has become one of the city's best food destinations, with independent restaurants, bars and some excellent ice cream from Wholly Gelato.
Blakeney
In the opposite direction (5 minutes from here) lies Blakeney, our other closest town. It's less picturesque than Newnham but practical, with a post office, Premier convenience store and our local fish and chip shop, Blakeney Chip-In. Just outside the village, Clarke's Pool Meadows is transformed each spring as thousands of wildflowers bloom across this traditional hay meadow. It's probably not worth a dedicated trip, but if you're passing, it's a lovely place for a gentle stroll.
Lydney
Lydney probably isn't where you'll pen your postcard from, but it's a useful town to know. You'll find Tesco, Lidl and all the practical essentials here.
Our favourite coffee stop is Hips Social, run by a lovely local family, where the pastries are baked fresh each morning and the cafe is consistently great.
The approach to Lydney Harbour is hardly glamorous, but persevere. The harbour itself, now a Scheduled Monument, offers a fascinating glimpse into the town's industrial past, when coal and iron left here for ports across the Severn. The Severnside promenade has joggers, families and dog walkers, with kids enjoying looking through the “telescoped” rocks and spotting weathered wrecks during low-tide. There’s a little outpost of Hip’s Harbourside here to grab a coffee and snack (or ice cream during the summer months)
If you're visiting in spring, don't miss Lydney Park Estate. For just several each year, its woodland gardens burst into colour with magnificent rhododendrons, while hidden amongst the hills are the remains of a Roman temple. Pack a picnic if the sun is shining.
Nearby is Bathurst Outdoor lido (bring cash). This volunteer-run gem is known for its brisk temperatures and affordable kiosk, serving cups of tea and pot noodles - a visit here feels like a nostalgic step back in time.