Hereford

The medieval clocktower on Broad Street tells you everything about this border town's unhurried pace. Time moves differently here, where second-hand books spill from shop doorways and the Welsh hills rise like sleeping giants just beyond the rooftops.

This is book town country. Richard Booth's Bookshop Cinema anchors a literary quarter that draws bibliophiles from across Britain, while The Chair gallery showcases local artists working in the shadow of the Black Mountains. The Globe arts centre keeps culture alive year-round, though honestly, the real entertainment is watching tourists try to pronounce Welsh place names.

Wenallt and Hen Allt dominate the skyline - proper hiking country where sheep outnumber people ten to one. Twmpa offers the most rewarding climb if you fancy earning your pint at Lucky 7 Beer Co afterwards. The ancient Pen-y-Beacon Stone Circle sits brooding in Tack Wood, a reminder that people have found this valley special for millennia.

Sunday golfers head to Summerhill Golf Club, where the fairways offer cracking views across to Wales. The Town Hall hosts the occasional event, though Saint Joseph's RC Church and Salem Baptist Chapel see steadier footfall from locals who've been coming here for generations.

Getting here is straightforward enough - the A438 cuts straight through from Hereford city, though the winding approach through Wye Valley villages is far more rewarding. Staying at one of the nearby parks along the river makes perfect sense. You're within striking distance of both the Brecon Beacons and the book shops, with Tack Wood practically on your doorstep for morning walks.