Keighley

Mill chimneys still puncture the skyline here, but Keighley has shed much of its industrial grime to reveal something rather more appealing. This West Yorkshire mill town sits at the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, where the urban landscape gives way to proper moorland within minutes.

The town centre feels lived-in rather than polished. Proper Yorkshire folk go about their business along North Street and Low Street, while the magnificent Keighley and Worth Valley Railway steams through the surrounding hills - yes, this is where they filmed The Railway Children. But it's the landscape that really draws you in.

Step outside town and you're among the peaks that rise like sleeping giants from the moors. Windgate Nick offers cracking views back over the Aire Valley, while the climb up to Counter Hill reveals why this spot was chosen for an Iron Age camp. The rolling heights of Sea Moor Hill and Asker Hill stretch endlessly northward, all heather and dry stone walls.

Getting here couldn't be simpler - Keighley sits on the main Leeds to Skipton railway line, with regular services from both directions. The M65 motorway passes just south of town, connecting to the wider road network. Bradford lies 10 miles southeast for anyone needing a proper city fix.

Staying at one of the holiday parks dotted around the area makes perfect sense. You're close enough to nip into town for supplies or a decent pub meal, yet positioned to explore both the industrial heritage and the wild country beyond. The transition from cobbled streets to open moorland happens remarkably quickly - one minute you're passing terraced houses, the next you're breathing mountain air with views that stretch to the Pennine backbone.