Aberystwyth

The funicular railway still clanks up Constitution Hill, just as it did when Victorian holidaymakers first fell for this seaside university town. Aberystwyth has that rare quality of feeling both scholarly and salty - students hurry past fish and chip shops, while the promenade stretches endlessly along Cardigan Bay.

Wales' west coast doesn't get much wilder than this stretch. The town sits where the rivers Rheidol and Ystwyth meet the sea, with the Cambrian Mountains rolling inland. Constitution Hill offers cracking views over the bay, while the National Library of Wales houses treasures that would make any bibliophile weep. The university gives the place a proper buzz during term time, though summer sees families take over the Victorian terraces and pebble beach.

Beyond town, the landscape turns properly Welsh. Pen Corbed and Cefn Croes rise to the east - perfect for serious walkers who don't mind a trek. Llyn-yr-Oerfa sits tucked in the hills, while peaks like Bryn Bras and Yr Henriw reward those willing to earn their views. The coastline north to Borth is magnificent on a clear day.

Getting here means the A44 from the Midlands or coastal roads from north and south Wales. It's a fair journey but worth every mile. Staying at one of the holiday parks around Clarach Bay or closer to town gives you the best of both worlds - coastal walks and easy access to Aberystwyth's cafes and pubs. The surrounding Ceredigion countryside is perfect caravan territory, with quiet lanes leading to hidden valleys and that spectacular coastline always within reach.