Yeovil

The aviation heritage runs deep here, with helicopters and vintage aircraft still taking to the skies from nearby Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. This working Somerset town might not win beauty contests, but it's got proper character - leather gloves were once made here by the million, and Leonardo Helicopters still builds choppers just outside the centre.

Yeovil sits in rolling countryside that's properly worth exploring. The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum houses everything from biplanes to Concorde 002, while Haynes Motor Museum showcases motoring history in gleaming detail. Both are cracking days out if you fancy something beyond the usual country walks.

Cadbury Castle offers something completely different - this Iron Age hillfort has nothing to do with chocolate but everything to do with spectacular views across the Somerset Levels. The climb up from South Cadbury village gets your heart pumping, but the panorama from the ramparts is well worth it. Local legend claims this was King Arthur's Camelot, though historians remain sceptical.

Walking options abound in the surrounding hills and valleys. The Beacon provides another fine viewpoint, while Holway Woods Nature Reserve offers gentler strolls through ancient woodland. Emma's Orchard makes for a lovely springtime visit when the apple trees are in blossom.

Getting here is straightforward - the A303 runs nearby, connecting you to London in under three hours. Sherborne and Castle Cary both have direct rail links to London Paddington.

Staying at one of the nearby parks like Long Hazel Park or Thorney Lakes gives you a proper base for exploring this corner of Somerset. You're close enough to nip into town for supplies, yet far enough out to enjoy the countryside peace that makes this area special.