Bakewell

Monday morning finds the Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop already busy with locals queuing for their famous tart - and yes, it's a pudding here, not a tart, whatever Mr Kipling might say. This market town in the heart of the Peak District has been feeding visitors since medieval times, though these days it's famous for that accidental dessert created when a cook supposedly got her recipe wrong at the White Horse Inn.

The River Wye cuts through the centre, providing proper countryside walks right from the town bridge. Head upstream and you'll reach Haddon Hall, one of England's finest medieval manor houses where countless period dramas have been filmed. The gardens alone are worth the gentle stroll.

Walking is what brings most people here. Robin Hood's Stride offers cracking views across the White Peak, though it's a bit of a trek from town. Closer to hand, the limestone dales provide easier rambles through Moatlow Wood and beyond to the villages that dot this landscape.

Matlock is the nearest proper town, about twenty minutes by car through some lovely Derbyshire countryside. Getting here is straightforward enough - the A6 runs right through, though parking in the centre can be tricky on market days.

Staying at one of the nearby parks like Chatsworth Park Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite puts you within striking distance of both the town's independent shops and the walking country beyond. Darwin Forest offers a different base if you prefer being deeper in the woods, while the smaller sites like Lathkill Wild Campsite give you that proper back-to-basics feel that suits the Peak District perfectly.