Horncastle

Antiques fill the streets on market days, transforming this Lincolnshire market town into something of a treasure hunter's paradise. Horncastle trades on its reputation as the antiques capital of the region, and rightly so. The Georgian buildings lining the main streets house dealers selling everything from Victorian curiosities to mid-century furniture.

Beyond the town centre, the Lincolnshire Wolds rise in gentle waves across the landscape. These rolling hills might not grab headlines like the Lake District, but they're proper countryside - quiet lanes threading between farmland and patches of woodland. Bully Hill and Stanmore Hill offer cracking views across the vale, while the ancient Long Barrow reminds you that people have been living here for thousands of years.

Walking the hills becomes addictive once you start. Round Hills and its neighbouring holt provide decent rambles through mixed woodland, and Tetford Hill gives you that satisfying feeling of having earned your pub lunch. The network of footpaths connects most of the peaks - Orgarth Hill, Juicetrummp Hill, and Belchford Hill among them - though you'll need OS maps and sturdy boots for longer circuits.

Getting here couldn't be simpler. Lincoln lies 20 miles west, with regular bus connections, while Boston sits a similar distance south-east. The A158 cuts straight through town, making car journeys straightforward from most directions.

Staying at one of the nearby parks puts you right in the thick of Wolds walking country. Places like Woodthorpe Leisure Park or the various glamping sites scattered through the hills give you that proper escape-to-the-countryside feeling, while keeping Horncastle's shops and tea rooms within easy reach for rainy afternoons.