Welshpool

Market day transforms this mid-Powys town into something special - Thursday mornings see the high street come alive with farmers selling everything from Welsh lamb to homemade preserves. The rest of the week, Welshpool settles into a quieter rhythm, its Georgian shopfronts and narrow streets reflecting centuries as a drovers' town where Welsh cattle headed east to English markets.

Powis Castle dominates the skyline, its red sandstone walls rising from terraced gardens that took three centuries to perfect. The climb up is proper steep, but those views across the Severn Valley make your legs forgive you. Inside, the castle houses one of Wales' finest art collections - though it's the baroque terraces outside that really steal the show.

The Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway chugs through eight miles of spectacular countryside, following the route that once carried slate from quarries to the main line. Steam enthusiasts rave about it, but even casual visitors find something magical about the narrow-gauge journey through oak woods and sheep-dotted hills.

Surrounding farmland rolls away in every direction, with the Berwyn Mountains visible on clear days to the north. It's proper walking country once you escape the town - footpaths lead through ancient woodlands and along the Montgomery Canal, where kingfishers dart between restored locks.

Getting here means the A483 from either Shrewsbury (20 minutes south) or Oswestry (15 minutes north). The train station connects to Birmingham and the coast, though services are limited.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense for exploring this corner of the Welsh borders. You're close enough to nip into town for supplies or a pub lunch, yet surrounded by countryside that feels genuinely remote. Several parks offer both touring pitches and glamping options, giving you flexibility to explore the Severn Valley at your own pace.