Oswestry

The Welsh border runs right through the conversation here. Oswestry sits so close to Wales that you'll hear both languages in the pubs, and the surrounding countryside feels like it belongs to both nations. This market town has a proper frontier feel - not quite English, not quite Welsh, but something altogether more interesting.

Cleg Hill Fort dominates the skyline, an Iron Age earthwork that reminds you this has been disputed territory for millennia. The town centre itself is compact and walkable, with independent shops holding their own against the chain stores. Wednesday's market day brings the place alive.

Alberbury Hill offers cracking views across the Shropshire plains and into Wales beyond. It's a bit of a trek but well worth it on a clear day. For something more gentle, Holly Banks Nature Reserve provides easy woodland walks just outside town. The network of footpaths here connects to longer routes heading into the Welsh hills.

St Michael & All Angels stands as the town's main church, though you'll find St Mary's Church Westbury and St Michael's and All Angels Church serving smaller communities nearby. Each tells part of the story of this borderland's complex past.

Getting here is straightforward enough - the A5 runs right through town, connecting to the M54 for Birmingham. Shrewsbury lies 18 miles southeast if you need a bigger shopping centre or train connections.

Staying at one of the holiday parks scattered around Oswestry makes perfect sense. You're positioned to explore both the Shropshire countryside and venture into Wales. Powis Castle is a short drive west, while Ironbridge Gorge lies an hour east. Rock Plantation and Wattlesborough Lawns offer immediate woodland walking, while Eyton Gorse provides another forest option for longer hikes.