Mitcheldean

Coal dust still seems to hang in the air around this former mining town, though these days it's more likely to be wood smoke from the surrounding Forest of Dean. Mitcheldean sits proper in the heart of Gloucestershire's ancient woodland, where Roman roads once carried iron ore and medieval charcoal burners worked the thick canopy that still crowds the hillsides today.

The town itself keeps things low-key. You won't find grand Georgian terraces here - this is working country, built for practical folk who knew their way around a mine shaft. But what Mitcheldean lacks in tourist polish, it makes up for with easy access to some cracking walks. Ruardean Hill offers views right across the Severn Vale on a clear day, while Blaisdon Wood provides proper forest tramping through oak and beech that's been here since the Normans.

Cinderford, just up the road, brings a bit more life with The Palace theatre putting on decent local productions and Artspace Cinderford showcasing work from regional artists. The war memorials dotted about - including the moving Miners' Memorial - tell the story of communities that sent men both underground and overseas.

For something completely different, Littledean Jail makes for an oddly compelling afternoon. This Victorian prison turned museum has enough ghost stories and grisly exhibits to keep you occupied, even if the presentation's a bit rough around the edges.

Getting here's straightforward enough - the A4151 runs right through town, connecting you to Gloucester in twenty minutes. Stay at one of the holiday parks scattered through the forest, like Apple Orchard Camping or The Roost Retreats, and you're perfectly placed for exploring both the wooded valleys and the broader Cotswold fringes that roll away to the east.