Trowbridge

Former mill workers' cottages line the streets where woollen mills once thundered day and night, their Georgian facades a reminder of when Trowbridge was the beating heart of England's cloth trade. The county town of Wiltshire has shed its industrial past but kept its unpretentious character - this isn't Bath with its tourist crowds, but a proper working town that happens to have some cracking countryside on its doorstep.

Trowbridge itself won't win any beauty contests, but it's got substance. The weekly market still draws locals from surrounding villages, and you can sample proper West Country ales at Moles Brewery, which has been crafting beer here since 1982. For families, the Boomerang Family Entertainment Centre offers indoor fun when the weather turns.

What makes staying at one of the nearby holiday parks worthwhile is the access to both town amenities and genuine Wiltshire countryside. Head east and you'll hit the edge of Salisbury Plain, while Bath is just twenty minutes by car for when you fancy a dose of World Heritage Site grandeur. The train station connects you to London in under two hours, making this a surprisingly handy base.

Venture slightly further afield and you'll find Melksham Blue Pool - a former quarry turned swimming spot that's become something of a local institution. The surrounding area is peppered with ancient churches like St Michael & All Angels', and quiet nature spots such as Primrose Nature Area offer gentle walks through typical Wiltshire downland.

It's not chocolate-box pretty, but Trowbridge gives you authentic Wiltshire life without the tourist markup. The nearby camping options at places like Stowford Manor Farm put you within easy reach of both the town's practical amenities and the rolling countryside that makes this county special.