Poole

Second only to London for the largest natural harbour in the world, Poole Harbour stretches out like an inland sea, its mudflats and creeks teeming with life. This isn't your typical seaside town - it's something far more interesting.

Wander down to the Old Town and you'll find Georgian houses rubbing shoulders with medieval streets. The harbour front buzzes with everything from luxury yachts to working fishing boats. But step away from the quay and you'll discover a different side entirely.

Lytchett Bay Nature Reserve offers proper walking country, where herons stand motionless in the shallows and the only sound is wind through the reeds. RSPB Lytchett Fields draws birders from miles around - the variety here is genuinely impressive. For a longer trek, Holton Lee Estate provides cracking views across the water to Brownsea Island.

Poole sits bang in the middle of some of Dorset's finest countryside. Wareham's Saxon walls are a short drive inland, while the beaches at Sandbanks - all golden sand and beach huts - lie just to the south. The Purbeck Hills roll away to the west, perfect for a Sunday afternoon ramble.

Trains run regularly from London Waterloo, taking just over two hours. Driving down the A31 is straightforward enough, though summer traffic around Bournemouth can be a proper pain. Staying at one of the nearby parks like Wareham Forest Tourist Park or Haven Rockley Park Holiday Park puts you within easy reach of both the harbour and the surrounding heath and woodland. You get the best of both worlds - coastal attractions and proper Dorset countryside on your doorstep.