Aberystwyth

Two railways converge here - one bringing students, the other carrying seaside visitors up from England. Aberystwyth wears both identities well, morphing from university town to proper Victorian resort depending on the season.

The seafront promenade stretches for miles, backed by those distinctive terraced houses that climb the hillsides in neat rows. Students from the university flood the pubs during term time, then vanish come summer, leaving the town to holidaymakers and day-trippers from Birmingham. It's a curious mix that somehow works.

Walk inland and you'll find yourself among proper Welsh countryside within minutes. Coed Craig-y-bwch and Coed Tan-y-graig offer decent woodland walks when the coast gets too blustery, while Sunny Hill provides cracking views back over Cardigan Bay on clear days. The surrounding forests - Allt Fad, Coed Pen Rhiw Galed - are perfect for stretching your legs between beach sessions.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The train from Birmingham takes about four hours, winding through some lovely Welsh valleys. By car, it's the A44 most of the way, though the final stretch can get busy during summer weekends when half the Midlands seems to descend.

Staying at one of the holiday parks scattered around the area makes perfect sense. Clarach Bay Holiday Village sits just north of town, while several touring parks offer easy access without the town centre noise. You get the best of both worlds - proper seaside atmosphere when you want it, peaceful countryside when you don't.