Melksham

Between Bath and Swindon sits this working Wiltshire town where rubber factories once ruled the roost. These days, Melksham feels refreshingly unpretentious - no tourist coaches clogging the streets, just proper local pubs and a high street that actually serves locals rather than day-trippers.

The River Avon winds lazily through town, creating a surprising green corridor that most visitors miss entirely. Follow it upstream and you'll stumble into some cracking countryside. Maples Wood and Morass Wood offer proper woodland walks where you might not see another soul for hours. The dense canopy of Hanging Wood makes for atmospheric rambling, especially when autumn mist clings to the trees.

What makes this area special is the sheer number of ancient woodlands within spitting distance. Berrymoor Wood and The Warren feel genuinely wild, while smaller copses like Basin Covert and New Plantation provide quick escapes from town life. Cocklemore Brook nature reserve adds a different flavour - wetland birds and water meadows that flood dramatically after heavy rain.

Getting here couldn't be easier. The A350 runs straight through town, connecting Bath in the south to Chippenham and the M4 in the north. Regular buses link to both cities, though having a car opens up those hidden woodland gems properly. The train station closed decades ago, but frankly, you won't miss it.

Basing yourself at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. You're within striking distance of Bath's Georgian splendour and Lacock's film-set perfection, yet you'll sleep soundly without tourist crowds. Plus, those morning walks through Prickmoor Wood or Big Wood beat any hotel breakfast.