Louth

Market day brings proper life to this Georgian market town. Every Wednesday and Saturday, farmers and traders fill the cobbled square beneath St James's Church spire, just as they have for centuries. Louth sits snugly in the Lincolnshire Wolds, with rolling chalk hills stretching away in every direction.

The town centre feels properly lived-in rather than tarted up for tourists. Independent shops line Mercer Row and Eastgate, while the Woolpack Inn does a cracking Sunday lunch. St James's Church dominates the skyline with England's tallest parish church spire - 295 feet of medieval stonework that you can spot from miles away across the wolds.

Wildlife lovers should make the short drive east to Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes National Nature Reserve. This stretch of coastline feels wonderfully remote, with sand dunes giving way to mudflats where seals haul out at low tide. All Saints Church at Saltfleetby sits right on the edge of this wild landscape.

Rimac Nature Reserve offers gentler walking through wetlands and grassland, perfect for families. The reserve sits just outside town and connects to a network of footpaths threading through the wolds.

Louth makes an excellent base for exploring this quieter corner of Lincolnshire. The coast lies just 12 miles east, while Lincoln Cathedral is an hour's drive south. Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks puts you within easy reach of both the seaside and the rolling wolds, with Louth's proper market town atmosphere right on your doorstep.