Preston

Railway lines slice through flat Lancashire farmland here, carrying commuters to Manchester and beyond while Preston itself gets on with the serious business of being a proper working town. The Ribble winds its way past industrial estates and retail parks, but this isn't some forgotten backwater - Preston's got grit and a fair bit of character if you know where to look.

Getzing around is dead easy from here. You're bang on the M6 corridor with the Lake District an hour north and Manchester just 35 minutes by train. The town centre's had better days, though the covered markets still draw weekend crowds and there's decent pub grub to be found if you venture off the main drags.

What really makes this spot work is the countryside access. Head west and you'll hit the Fylde coast - Blackpool's neon madness or the quieter stretches around Lytham. Go east and the Forest of Bowland opens up with proper hill walking and stone villages that tourists haven't quite cottoned onto yet.

Staying at one of the touring parks scattered around Preston's edges gives you the best of both worlds. You're close enough for quick dashes into town or to catch trains elsewhere, but far enough out to actually hear birdsong. Most of the parks sit in farming country where kids can run about without dodging traffic every five minutes.

Weekends see the place properly come alive. The indoor market's worth a browse, and if you time it right, Preston North End might be playing at home - proper old-school football atmosphere that puts the Premier League circus to shame.