Shrewsbury

Half-timbered houses lean into winding medieval streets like old friends sharing secrets. Shrewsbury feels properly lived-in, not polished up for tourists - which is exactly why it works so well as a base for exploring Shropshire's gentler side.

The town sits in a lazy loop of the River Severn, creating an almost-island effect that's kept the centre remarkably intact. You can walk the entire circuit in twenty minutes, past proper independent shops and cafes that haven't been chain-stored into submission. The railway station connects directly to Birmingham and Manchester, making it dead easy to reach without wrestling with motorway traffic.

Just outside town, the countryside opens up into proper Shropshire rolling hills and woodland. Polemere makes for a decent walk - it's a decent-sized lake with the Nature Reserve attached, though don't expect dramatic mountain scenery. More gentle than grand. The remains of Shrawardine Castle offer a bit of medieval atmosphere, even if there's not much left standing.

Rough Burrows provides proper woodland walking if you fancy getting your boots muddy. Several small pools dot the landscape - Cottage Pool and Shrawardine Pool among them - perfect for those who prefer their nature quiet rather than spectacular.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks gives you the best of both worlds. You're close enough to nip into Shrewsbury for a proper pub dinner or bit of shopping, but far enough out to wake up to actual birdsong rather than traffic. The surrounding parishes - Ford, Montford, Cardeston - each have their own Norman churches worth a quick look if you're into that sort of thing.