Nottingham

Twenty minutes east of Nottingham city centre, the River Trent meanders through proper countryside that feels worlds away from the urban bustle. This stretch of Nottinghamshire has a quiet charm that's easy to miss if you're rushing between bigger destinations.

Lowdham Signal Box tells the story of the area's railway heritage - a small but fascinating museum that railway enthusiasts will love. The village itself sits nicely along the train line to Lincoln, making it surprisingly well-connected for somewhere so rural. Just downstream, Gunthorpe feels like a different world entirely, with the Trent flowing past riverside pubs and the Gunthorpe Nature Reserve offering decent walking along the water.

Souther Wood provides a lovely contrast to the river walks. It's proper woodland walking without being too strenuous - good for families who want to stretch their legs without a major expedition. The area doesn't shout about its attractions, which is rather the point.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The train from Nottingham to Lowdham takes about 15 minutes, though you'll want a car to really explore the countryside properly. The A612 connects everything together, running parallel to the Trent through some genuinely pleasant Nottinghamshire landscape.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense if you want to explore both the countryside and Nottingham itself. You get the best of both - rural peace in the evenings with easy access to the city's pubs, shops and Robin Hood connections during the day. It's that sweet spot between convenience and escape that's harder to find than you'd think.