Lutterworth

Two major motorways carve through the countryside here, making this market town feel like England's unofficial gateway. Lutterworth sits at the crossroads of the M1 and M6, but don't let that put you off - this is proper Leicestershire territory with rolling farmland stretching in every direction.

The town centre revolves around St. Leonard's Church, a solid Norman affair that's watched over centuries of market traders. Just down the road, the Sir Frank Whittle Green Plaque marks where the jet engine pioneer lived - a bit of aviation history that most folk drive straight past without knowing. The high street has that lived-in feel of a working town, nothing too polished but perfectly functional.

Head out towards Gilmorton and you'll find yourself in classic English countryside. The recreation ground there is ideal for a proper walk, while Saxon Meadows Green Area offers quieter rambling through water meadows. Pine Tree Alpacas provides something a bit different - these South American imports have settled into Leicestershire life rather well.

Getting here couldn't be easier. Junction 20 of the M1 delivers you practically into the town centre, while trains from Birmingham and London stop at nearby Rugby, just fifteen minutes up the A426.

Staying at one of the local parks makes perfect sense for exploring the wider region. You're twenty minutes from Warwick Castle, half an hour from Leicester, and the Cotswolds beckon from the south. The countryside around Lutterworth might not win prizes for drama, but it's got that gentle, unshowy appeal that grows on you. Rolling fields, old churches, the odd alpaca farm - sometimes that's exactly what you want from rural England.