Leyburn

High above Wensleydale, this market town commands proper views across some of Yorkshire's finest dales country. Leyburn feels like a place that knows its worth - unhurried, solid, with a weekly market that's been running since 1684 and stone buildings that have weathered centuries of Pennine storms.

The real draw here is the walking. Stake Fell and Horse Head rise dramatically to the west, while the gentler slopes around Huckley Hill offer cracking panoramas without the lung-busting climbs. For something different, the archaeological remains at Castle Dykes tell stories of ancient settlements, and the Old Church sits quietly among fields where sheep graze between dry stone walls.

Water features punctuate the landscape beautifully. Middle Tongue Tarn catches the light on clear days, while smaller tarns like South Grain Tarn and Hunters Hole feel properly remote - the sort of spots where you'll hear nothing but wind and curlews.

Getting here means winding through some of the Dales' most spectacular scenery. The A684 from Bedale takes you straight into town, though it's worth the detour via smaller roads if you've got time. Northallerton, twenty miles southeast, is your nearest railway station.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense. You're bang in the middle of walking country, with fells rising in every direction and Wensleydale's villages - Hawes, Askrigg, West Burton - all within easy reach. Plus you'll dodge the summer crowds that pack the southern Dales, while still being close enough to nip down to Grassington or Malham for a day out.