Malvern

The ridge rises like a vast green whale's back from the Worcestershire plain, its ancient slopes offering some of the finest views in the Midlands. The Malvern Hills dominate everything here - you can't escape their pull. Old Hills stands proud among the peaks, while the lower slopes are wrapped in woodland like Cliffey Wood and Dripshill Wood that make for proper walking country.

Malvern itself spreads along the eastern flank of the hills, a Victorian spa town that still trades on its reputation for pure water. The high street has that slightly faded elegance you get in former resort towns, though it's livelier at weekends when walkers descend from the hills. The Four Seasons gallery showcases local artists, many clearly inspired by the dramatic landscape on their doorstep.

Forest paths crisscross the slopes - South Wood and Newpool Coppice offer quieter alternatives to the busy ridge walk. Grosvenor Stocks Plantation and the wonderfully named Cob's Knob provide shelter when the hilltops get too blustery. Each wood has its own character, from the dense cover of Frieze Wood to the more open glades of Birch Covert.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. You're close enough to tackle the hills first thing before the crowds arrive, yet far enough from the town centre to enjoy proper peace after dark. Worcester lies just fifteen minutes east for supplies or a proper meal out, while the M5 puts you within striking distance of the Cotswolds and Welsh borders.