Crewkerne

Ham stone buildings line the streets with that warm, honey-coloured glow that marks proper Somerset architecture. This market town sits in the Parrett Valley where the Blackdown Hills roll into view, offering a genuinely peaceful base for exploring some of the West Country's quieter corners. The Georgian terraces around the town centre hint at past prosperity - Crewkerne was once a major cloth-making hub.

Forde Abbey dominates the cultural landscape here, and rightly so. This Cistercian monastery turned country house is absolutely worth the short drive southeast, with its tapestries and gardens providing a proper day out. Castle Hill offers something completely different - Time Team fans will recognise this archaeological site where the telly archaeologists got properly excited about Roman remains.

Wartime history buffs should seek out the intact WW2 pillboxes scattered around the area. These concrete sentinels still stand guard over the countryside, reminders of when invasion seemed imminent. The contrast with peaceful spots like Long Ponds couldn't be starker.

Walking country spreads in every direction. Dairy Park Copse and Horn Moor provide woodland rambles, while the collection of lakes - from Great Pond to the rather romantically named Mermaid Pond - suggests this was once a landscape shaped by mill owners and their need for water power.

Yeovil lies 10 miles northeast for bigger shopping and transport links. The A30 cuts right past town, making Crewkerne surprisingly accessible despite its rural feel. Several glamping sites have sprung up in the surrounding countryside, capitalising on the area's tranquil appeal. Staying at one of these rural boltholes puts you right in the heart of proper Somerset countryside, with easy access to both the Quantock Hills and the Dorset border.