Preston

Red brick terraces stretch towards the Fylde Coast from this unassuming Lancashire town, where the industrial heartland softens into flat agricultural land. Preston might not win beauty contests, but it's properly useful as a jumping-off point for the coast and countryside beyond.

The real action lies just west, where Singleton Park offers decent walking trails through mixed woodland and wetland areas. It's a proper nature reserve, this one - not just a fancy name for a municipal park. Singleton Maize Maze provides seasonal entertainment if you're travelling with kids, though it's only worth the detour during harvest time when the corn's at full height.

For a dose of local history, St Anne's Church sits quietly in the town centre. Nothing spectacular, mind you, but the stonework's solid Victorian craftsmanship.

What makes Preston genuinely useful is its position. You're twenty minutes from Blackpool's seafront chaos, fifteen from the quieter stretches of the Fylde Coast, and within easy reach of the Forest of Bowland's proper hills. The M6 and M55 converge nearby, making it dead simple to reach by car.

Staying at one of the holiday parks scattered around the area gives you the best of both worlds - countryside peace without the trek into town for supplies. The Fylde plain might look flat and unremarkable from the motorway, but there's decent cycling country here, and those big Lancashire skies can be rather magnificent on a clear day. Plus, you're close enough to Preston's train station for day trips to Manchester or Lancaster without the urban camping fees.