Montgomery

Time moves slowly in this hilltop town where medieval streets wind down from the ruins of a 13th-century castle. Montgomery sits on the Welsh border like a watchtower, its Georgian houses and black-and-white timber buildings creating one of the finest townscapes in Mid Wales. The Red Lion dominates the market square - a proper coaching inn that's been serving travellers for centuries.

St Nicholas Church anchors the town's spiritual heart, while the castle ruins offer cracking views across the Severn Valley. Just beyond town, Brompton Roman fort reminds you that this borderland has been contested territory since antiquity. The surrounding countryside is brilliant walking country - Todleth Hill and Caeliber provide proper climbs with rewarding panoramas.

Butcher's Wood and Pentre Wood make for gentler rambles when the weather turns. The Wildlife Park offers family-friendly exploring, though it's the wild landscapes of the Shropshire Hills that really steal the show here.

Reaching Montgomery means a drive - the nearest train station is Welshpool, about 8 miles north. But that isolation is part of its appeal. The town feels genuinely untouched, especially midweek when you might have the castle ruins almost to yourself.

Staying at one of the nearby parks puts you right at the heart of some superb walking country. Several glamping options have cropped up recently, taking advantage of those ridge-top views. From here you can explore both the Welsh borders and dip into Shropshire's rolling hills.