Bishops Castle

Three pubs line the high street, and two of them brew their own beer. That tells you everything about Bishops Castle - a proper market town where independence runs deep and the hills press close on all sides. The Six Bells and Three Tuns keep the brewing tradition alive in what feels like England's smallest beer capital, while narrow streets climb steeply from the centre towards the Welsh border.

Climbing Colebatch Hill rewards you with views that stretch across three counties. The track winds upward through bracken and gorse, and on clear days you can see the Brecon Beacons. Roundton Hill National Nature Reserve offers gentler walking through ancient woodland where red kites circle overhead. Both peaks frame the town perfectly - Bishops Castle sits in a natural bowl surrounded by these rolling Shropshire Hills.

The town itself keeps things real. No chain stores here, just independent shops selling everything from walking boots to handmade furniture. Market day brings farmers down from the hills, and the whole place feels properly lived-in rather than polished for tourists. Even the Green Methodist Chapel, tucked away on a side street, has character that newer places lack.

Getting here takes patience - the roads twist through farmland from Shrewsbury, about 20 miles northeast. But that's half the charm. You're properly in the countryside here, close enough to Wales that you can walk to the border from several local campsites. The surrounding hills offer brilliant walking, and staying at one of the nearby parks like Woodbatch Camping & Glamping puts you right in the thick of it, with footpaths starting from your tent door.