Holford

Rolling hills rise sharply from this quiet Somerset village, creating some of the finest walking country in the West Country. Holford sits snugly in a combe beneath the Quantock Hills, where red deer roam freely and ancient tracks wind through heather moorland. The landscape here is properly dramatic - nothing gentle about these slopes.

Walkers make a beeline for Wills Neck, the highest point on the Quantocks at 384 metres, offering cracking views across the Bristol Channel to Wales on clear days. Hurley Beacon and Great Hill provide equally rewarding climbs, while Halsway Wood offers gentler rambles through oak and birch. The village itself centres around St Mary's Church, a Norman gem that's worth a peek for its carved font.

History buffs shouldn't miss Walford's Gibbet, a grim reminder of 18th-century justice where John Walford met his end. More uplifting is the National Centre for Folk Arts at nearby East Quantoxhead, hosting workshops and performances in a converted medieval manor.

Bridgwater lies 15 miles southeast for proper shopping and train connections to London. The coast at Kilve is just four miles away, famous for its fossil-hunting beaches and dramatic cliff walks.

Staying at one of the local parks makes perfect sense here. Mill Farm Caravan & Camping Park and Secret Valley put you right in the heart of the Quantocks, while coastal options like Haven Doniford Bay give easy access to both hills and seaside. The area's compact enough to explore everything within a 20-minute drive.