Barnsley

The railway heritage runs deep through these South Yorkshire valleys, where old waggonways once carried coal down from the pit heads. Barnsley might not win beauty contests, but there's something proper authentic about this former mining town - it wears its industrial past with pride rather than trying to pretty it up for tourists.

History buffs will find plenty to explore around the area. The Silkstone Waggonway tells the story of those early coal railways, while the sobering Huskar Pit Disaster Memorial reminds visitors of mining's human cost. More recent military history lives on at the Barnsley Pals Memorial Chapel, honouring the local regiment that suffered devastating losses in World War One.

Cawthorne, just south of town, offers a gentler side with its Victoria Jubilee Museum tucked into this former estate village. The countryside here rolls into proper Peak District territory - Champany Hill gives cracking views across the valleys on clear days. For something completely different, the Wortley Top Forge Miniature Railway runs through woodland that feels miles from any industrial past.

Getting here is dead easy from Sheffield or Leeds - both about 30 minutes by car along the M1. The train links are decent too, with Silkstone Common and Dodworth stations serving the surrounding villages.

Staying at one of the local farm campsites makes perfect sense for exploring this slice of Yorkshire. You're close enough to nip into Barnsley for supplies or a proper pub lunch, but far enough out to appreciate the surprisingly green countryside that surrounds this former coal heartland. The Peak District beckons just to the west, while Yorkshire's spa towns of Harrogate and Ilkley are within an hour's drive.