Chesham

The Metropolitan Line terminus might suggest suburban sprawl, but Chesham feels properly rural once you escape the station car park. This market town sits in a valley where the Chess River winds through water meadows, surrounded by beech woods that turn spectacular shades of copper come autumn. It's proper Chilterns country - rolling hills, ancient woodlands, and footpaths that have been trodden for centuries.

Hockeridge Wood makes for excellent walking, especially if you fancy spotting red kites circling overhead. The town itself has a decent high street that's managed to keep most of its independent shops, though it can feel a bit quiet midweek. The old market square still hosts traders on Wednesdays and Saturdays, selling everything from fresh bread to locally grown vegetables.

Berkhamsted lies just five miles northeast and offers more in the way of attractions. The Rex theatre puts on surprisingly good productions, while Dacorum Heritage museum tells the story of this corner of Buckinghamshire rather well. Train enthusiasts will appreciate that Berkhamsted station sits on the main London line, making day trips to the capital dead easy.

From Chesham, you can walk straight into some of the finest countryside in the home counties. The Chess Valley Walk follows the river for miles, passing through villages that time seems to have forgotten. It's a 40-minute drive from the M25, but feels worlds away from London's sprawl.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks puts you right in the heart of walking country, with Wendover Woods and the Ridgeway National Trail both within easy striking distance.