Launceston

Medieval streets wind up from the River Kensey, past Georgian terraces that seem frozen in time. Launceston perches on the edge of Bodmin Moor like a proper frontier town - which it was, guarding the ancient route into Cornwall. The Norman castle ruins still loom over the market square, though these days it's more about cream teas than military strategy.

Bodmin Moor spreads out to the south, a wild expanse of granite tors and prehistoric mysteries. Brown Willy, Cornwall's highest peak, dominates the skyline alongside Rough Tor - both offering cracking walks on clear days. The moor feels ancient and slightly unsettling, scattered with Bronze Age tumuli and stone circles that predate Stonehenge.

Warbstow Bury, an Iron Age hillfort, sits just northeast of town. Less crowded than the main tors but equally atmospheric. Crowdy Reservoir provides gentler walking if the moor feels too dramatic, though frankly that's missing the point.

The 43rd Wessex Memorial marks where American troops trained for D-Day. Sobering stuff. More cheerful is the fact that Launceston makes a proper base for exploring both the moor's wilder reaches and north Cornwall's coast - Bude's beaches are only twenty minutes by car.

Getting here is straightforward enough from the A30, Cornwall's main artery. Exeter's the nearest big station if you're coming by train, then it's buses or car hire. Staying at one of the holiday parks dotted around the area means you can tackle the moor's longer walks without rushing back to distant accommodation. Camp De Lank sits right on the moor itself, while others offer easier access to both wilderness and town.