Leicester

Traffic hums past on the A607, but step away from the main road and you'll find proper countryside dotted with stone villages that time seems to have forgotten. This corner of Leicestershire sits in the Wreake Valley, where rolling farmland stretches towards Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir beyond.

Queniborough makes a decent stopping point, with its War Memorial standing proudly in the village centre and the intriguing Millstone Public Art adding a contemporary twist to this otherwise traditional spot. The real draw here is the landscape itself - gentle hills carpeted with crops and punctuated by church spires that have watched over these communities for centuries.

St Mary's Church in Queniborough is worth a look, as is the trek out to Thrussington Wolds Gorse if you fancy a proper walk through ancient woodland. The villages of Rearsby, Brooksby and Barkby each have their own parish churches - St Michael & All Angels and St Mary's among them - creating a lovely circuit for those who appreciate ecclesiastical architecture.

Eye Kettleby Lakes offers fishing and peaceful walks, while Willowbrook Way Garden Park provides a more manicured nature experience. Getting here is straightforward enough - Leicester city centre lies about 8 miles southwest, with regular bus services connecting the villages.

Basing yourself at one of the nearby parks like Frisby Lakes Lodge Park or High Meadows Farm puts you right in the heart of this quiet farming country. You're close enough to nip into Leicester for shopping or dining, but far enough out to wake up to birdsong rather than traffic. It's the sort of spot where you can cycle between villages on quiet lanes, stopping at country pubs that actually know how to pull a pint.