Craven Arms

Two railway lines meet here, giving this market town an unexpectedly busy feel for somewhere perched on the edge of the Shropshire Hills. Craven Arms sits at a proper crossroads - the Heart of Wales line heading west into the mountains, while the main London-Shrewsbury route thunders through heading north.

The town itself is workmanlike rather than pretty. Don't come expecting chocolate-box charm. Instead, you'll find a place that's refreshingly unpretentious, with a decent high street and folk who actually live here rather than weekending from Birmingham. The Town Hall houses a small museum that's worth twenty minutes if the weather's turned.

What makes staying nearby worthwhile is the landscape. Hills roll away in every direction - proper walking country that doesn't get the crowds of the Peak District. Clun Castle, a few miles west, perches dramatically above the River Clun and makes for a lovely afternoon out. The ruins are substantial enough to explore properly, and the village below does a cracking cream tea.

Swinbatch Wood offers decent woodland walks if you fancy something closer, while the peaks of Guilden Down Hill and Rock Hill provide proper views across the Welsh borders on clear days. These aren't Snowdonia-scale climbs - more like a good stomp that'll work up an appetite for dinner.

The A49 brings you straight here from Shrewsbury in forty minutes, making it dead easy to reach. Ludlow's fifteen minutes south if you need proper restaurants and antique shops. But for exploring the quieter bits of the Welsh Marches without the tourist hassle, Craven Arms hits the spot. The nearby holiday parks put you right in walking distance of some of Shropshire's most underrated countryside.