Bridgwater

Canals thread through this Somerset market town like arteries, carrying narrow boats past redbrick terraces and converted warehouses. Bridgwater's heart still beats to a working rhythm - proper pubs line the high street, the Saturday market draws locals from surrounding villages, and the tidal bore on the River Parrett reminds you this was once a serious port.

The town sits in fascinating countryside. Catcott Complex Nature Reserve stretches across wetlands where kingfishers dart between reed beds, whilst Somerset Alpaca Trekking offers a wonderfully daft afternoon out with some of the county's friendliest residents. Those wanting proper walks should head for the surrounding hills - Ball Hill and Pendon Hill provide cracking views across the Somerset Levels, and Billicombe Wood makes for a lovely ramble when the bluebells are out.

History buffs will find the ROC Nuclear fallout shelter particularly intriguing - a Cold War relic that feels oddly relevant again. The churches of St Michael & All Angels and St Mary the Virgin showcase different periods of local architecture, though neither will win prizes for grandeur.

Getting here is straightforward enough - the M5 runs close by, and it's roughly halfway between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare. The real draw for staying at one of the nearby parks like Wall Eden Farm or Greenacre Place is having a base for exploring both the Quantock Hills and the coast at Burnham-on-Sea, which lies just fifteen minutes south. Bridgwater itself might not win beauty contests, but it's properly Somerset - unpretentious, friendly, and surrounded by some of the county's most underrated landscapes.