Hythe

Two stations serving opposite ends of town tell you everything about Hythe's split personality. The mainline station connects you to London in 75 minutes, while the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway - the world's smallest public railway - chugs along the coast with proper steam engines that make grown-ups grin like children.

This slice of Kent feels properly seaside without the tat. The Royal Military Canal runs parallel to the high street, creating an oddly Continental feel that's nothing like your typical English coastal town. Walking the towpath takes you past Georgian terraces that wouldn't look out of place in Bath, except here they overlook sheep fields rather than honey stone crescents.

Just inland, Lympne Castle Grounds offer cracking views across Romney Marsh - that vast, flat expanse that feels more like Norfolk than Kent. The medieval ruins at Sandtun are worth the short drive, though you'll need to know what you're looking for. St Stephen's Church in nearby Lympne has Norman arches that'll make architecture buffs very happy indeed.

Staying at one of the holiday parks along this stretch makes perfect sense. You're close enough to Folkestone (ten minutes by car) for proper shops and restaurants, yet far enough from the Channel Tunnel chaos to feel peaceful. The Romney Marsh landscape is utterly unique - pancake-flat fields criss-crossed by drainage ditches, with the sea wall keeping everything dry.

Most visitors use Hythe as a base for exploring the wider area rather than lingering in town itself. Fair enough - while pleasant, it's not exactly Canterbury. But those little steam trains are absolutely brilliant.