Alresford

Steam locomotives chuff through this Georgian market town every weekend, carrying day-trippers along the Watercress Line from Alresford station to Alton. The preserved railway is proper nostalgic stuff, but there's more to this Hampshire town than heritage trains. Broad Street stretches uphill from the station, lined with independent shops and cafes that feel refreshingly unhurried compared to Winchester, just eight miles south. Thursday market day brings a bit more bustle, but midweek you'll have the antique shops largely to yourself.

Old Alresford Pond sits at the town's heart - a medieval creation that's now a haven for swans and dog walkers. The surrounding countryside rolls away in gentle chalk downs, with footpaths leading through ancient woodland like Godsfield Copse and Dark Copse. Raimes English Sparkling has made quite a name for itself among the local vineyards, offering tours and tastings with views across the Itchen valley.

Winchester's cathedral city grandeur feels a world away when you're walking the quiet lanes around Itchen Stoke Down or exploring the copses that dot the landscape. The Grange Lake and Tichborne House Lake provide peaceful spots for a picnic, though you'll need to know where to look - they're tucked away from the main roads.

Getting here couldn't be easier from London - the A31 runs straight through, and Winchester's just a short hop down the same road. Several caravan parks scatter the surrounding hills, making this an excellent base for exploring both the South Downs and New Forest without the coastal crowds.