Barnet

The old A1 runs straight through the heart of this north London edge town, but step away from the traffic and Barnet reveals proper countryside character. Rolling green hills stretch north into Hertfordshire while ancient commons and woodland pockets survive between the suburban sprawl. It's that odd mix of metropolitan convenience and rural breathing space that makes this corner so appealing.

Barnet Museum on Wood Street tells the town's story well, while the Wyllyotts Theatre keeps local culture alive with everything from amateur dramatics to touring shows. More atmospheric is the walk up to Hadley Highstone, the old milestone that once marked the boundary between Middlesex and Hertfordshire. George Grey's Obelisk stands sentinel nearby, a proper Victorian monument that overlooks the battlefield where the Wars of the Roses ended.

Monken Hadley Common feels like proper countryside despite being within the M25. Ancient oaks dot the grassland, and you can walk for ages without hearing much beyond birdsong and the distant hum of the A1. The area around Hadley Wood is particularly lovely - all Victorian villas and tree-lined roads that wouldn't look out of place in a period drama.

Getting here couldn't be easier. High Barnet sits at the end of the Northern Line, while Potters Bar and New Barnet stations offer fast links into King's Cross. The M25 junction 23 is minutes away by car. Several holiday parks dot the surrounding countryside, from Commons Wood's woodland setting to Aldenham Country Park near the reservoir. It's the perfect base for exploring both London and the Hertfordshire hills - you can be in central London in 45 minutes or hiking the Ridgeway in half that time.