Located in the west of England, straddling the river Severn, Gloucestershire is a popular destination - albeit a bit touristy. But if you put on your hiking boots and are willing to go a bit further than the average tourist, there are some treasures to be discovered.

The best of "rustic rosy-cheeked England" is to be found in the pretty, gilded stone villages in the Cotswolds. The Severn Vale with the towns of Gloucester, the capital, Cheltenham, Britain's best preserved Regency town and Tewkesbury is the most inhabited part of the county. The beautiful Valley of the roses is in the west of and on the border with Wales you find the enchanting Wye Valley.