Dorchester

The Romans knew a good spot when they saw one, and their settlement here has barely shifted since AD 70. Dorchester feels properly lived-in rather than touristy - the county town that gets on with business while heritage sites lurk around every corner. You'll bump into 2,000 years of history on the morning school run.

Wander down to the Roman Town House and you're looking at genuine mosaics where centurions once walked. More impressive than it sounds. The town centre has that comfortable Dorset market town feel - independent shops, proper pubs, locals who nod hello. It's Thomas Hardy country too, though he called it Casterbridge in his novels.

Beyond the town limits, this corner of Dorset opens up into rolling chalk downland and ancient field systems. Grey's Wood offers decent walking, while the Celtic fields near Maiden Newton show how farmers worked this land centuries before the Romans arrived. Wolfeton House, a Tudor manor with genuine atmosphere, sits just outside town if you fancy a proper heritage fix.

The Dorset Piddle Brewery does what it says on the tin - local ales with tongue-in-cheek names. Well worth a visit if you appreciate decent beer and don't mind the obvious jokes.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The A35 runs right past, and Maiden Newton station connects to the London Waterloo line if you're coming by train. Dorchester sits roughly equidistant from the coast at Weymouth and the hills around Sherborne.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense. You're central for exploring Hardy's Wessex, close enough to the Jurassic Coast for day trips, yet in proper countryside that feels miles from anywhere. The sort of base camp that works for families who want both Romans and rock pools.