Leicester

Rolling countryside and ancient woodland define this corner of Leicestershire, where the medieval market town of Earl Shilton sits alongside villages that have barely changed in centuries. The area feels properly rural despite being just a short hop from Leicester city centre - you'll find more sheep than shoppers on most weekdays.

Newbold Verdon anchors the local scene with its cluster of Methodist and Baptist churches, plus a decent library that doubles as the village social hub. But the real draw here is the landscape. Aston Firs stretches across hundreds of acres of mixed woodland, while smaller copses like Sheepy Wood and Burbage Wood offer shorter rambles through ancient oak and beech. Elmesthorpe Plantation provides cracking views across the Leicestershire plains, especially from Red Hall Top viewpoint where you can see for miles on a clear day.

Hinckley Golf Club challenges visiting players with its rolling fairways, though locals reckon the back nine is where reputations go to die. The course sits in prime countryside that typifies this gentle part of the Midlands - no dramatic peaks or valleys, just good honest farmland broken up by hedgerows and the occasional manor house.

Getting here couldn't be easier. The M69 runs practically through the middle of everything, connecting you to Leicester in twenty minutes or Birmingham in under an hour. Earl Shilton railway station links to the main Leicester-Birmingham line, making this area accessible without a car.

Staying at one of the nearby parks like Bosworth Lakeside Lodges or The Dandelion Hideaway puts you right in the thick of this countryside, with woodland walks on your doorstep and market towns within easy reach for supplies.