Banbury

Cross the Cherwell bridges into Banbury and you're stepping into proper market town England. This isn't the chocolate-box Cotswolds - it's working Oxfordshire where the high street still means something and Thursday market days bring proper bustle.

The famous nursery rhyme put Banbury on the map, though the original cross vanished centuries ago. Today's Victorian replacement stands where three ancient roads meet, and the town radiates outward in handsome Georgian and Victorian terraces. Thursdays and Saturdays see the market square come alive - one of the oldest chartered markets in England, trading since 1554.

Banbury's real draw lies in its surroundings. The rolling hills hide gems like Upton House and Gardens, a National Trust treasure with spectacular 1930s interiors and terraced gardens that tumble down toward distant spires. The climb up Windmill Hill rewards with sweeping views across three counties, while quieter souls can wander The Plantation's woodland paths.

Getting here couldn't be easier - M40 junction 11 deposits you practically in the town centre, while the railway station connects directly to London Marylebone in under an hour. Birmingham's barely 45 minutes north.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. Anita's Touring Caravan Park gives you countryside calm but keeps Banbury's amenities within easy reach. The town's perfectly positioned for day trips too - Warwick Castle's 20 minutes south, Stratford-upon-Avon barely half an hour, and you're on the doorstep of both the Cotswolds and the Vale of the White Horse. It's the sort of base that lets you tick off the big-name attractions while still feeling like you're staying somewhere real.