Newtownards

Twenty miles east of Belfast, this market town sits at the northern tip of Strangford Lough - a proper gateway to the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards has that lived-in feel of a working town, with a Saturday market that's been running for centuries and a High Street that actually serves locals rather than tourists.

The real draw here is the surrounding landscape. Strangford Lough stretches out to the south, its waters dotted with small islands and bordered by drumlin hills. It's one of Northern Ireland's most important wildlife areas, and you can feel that wildness even from the town centre.

Head out to Wallace's Rocks for cracking views across the lough, or take the short drive to Whitechurch Car Park And Garden where the nature trails wind through ancient woodland. The coastline's just a few miles east - proper seaside towns like Ballywalter with their mix of holiday homes and working harbours.

Getting here's straightforward enough. The A20 runs straight from Belfast, and there's a decent bus service if you're not driving. It's that rare thing - a town that works as both a base for exploring the peninsula and a place worth lingering in for its own sake.

Staying at one of the holiday parks nearby makes perfect sense. You're close enough to nip into town for provisions or a proper meal, but you wake up to countryside or coast depending on which way you face your caravan.