Bridgnorth

Two towns in one, really. High Town perches on a sandstone cliff while Low Town sprawls along the River Severn below, connected by Britain's only surviving inland cliff railway. The Victorian funicular still rattles up and down the steep incline every few minutes, carrying locals and tourists between the medieval streets above and the riverside below.

Bridgnorth's High Town feels properly old. Half-timbered buildings lean at unlikely angles along the cobbled streets, and the castle ruins offer cracking views across the Severn Valley. The leaning tower - more precarious than Pisa's, locals will tell you - survived Cromwell's demolition attempt and now tilts at a gravity-defying angle.

Down in Low Town, the Severn Valley Railway steams in and out of the station throughout the day. Real steam trains, not replicas, pulling vintage carriages through some of Shropshire's loveliest countryside. The railway workshops here still service the locomotives, and you can watch the engineers at work through the viewing gallery.

Countryside walks fan out in all directions from town. Aston Hill provides decent hiking with woodland trails, while the various coppices like Watkis Coppice and Lightwood Covert offer shorter rambles through ancient woodland. Bluebell Woods does exactly what it says on the tin come spring.

The surrounding area hides some proper rural gems. Chetton Heritage Museum tells the story of local farming life, while Vallets Farm Barn keeps various animals that children love meeting. Several old churches dot the landscape, including the atmospheric Church of St Gregory the Great.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The A458 runs right through town, and it's only twenty minutes from Telford if you need a proper shopping fix. Staying at one of the nearby parks like Sytche Caravan & Camping Park puts you within easy striking distance of both the town itself and the broader Severn Valley - ideal for day trips along the steam railway or exploring the Shropshire Hills beyond.