Richmond

The River Swale cuts through this ancient market town like a silver thread, bringing life to cobbled streets that have watched centuries of drovers and merchants pass through. Richmond sits pretty on its hilltop perch, commanding views across Swaledale that stretch all the way to the Yorkshire Dales' most dramatic peaks.

From Great Shunner Fell to the east to the brooding presence of Kisdon rising above Muker, the surrounding fells create a proper amphitheatre of stone and heather. White Beacon Hill offers cracking views without too much of a slog, while the more ambitious can tackle Little Shunner Fell for panoramas that'll have you reaching for the camera.

The town itself has kept its Georgian charm intact. Stone houses line narrow streets that tumble down towards the river, and there's a proper sense of being somewhere that matters - this was once the administrative heart of the largest parish in England.

Walking through Ten Acre Wood or along the banks past Iveletside Wood, you'll understand why the Swaledale landscape has inspired artists for generations. The interplay of water, woodland and fell creates something genuinely special, especially when autumn turns the dale into a patchwork of gold and rust.

Richmond's well-connected by road, sitting on the A6108 about 12 miles southwest of Scotch Corner. From here, you can be deep in the Dales within minutes, exploring valleys that still feel genuinely wild despite being well within reach of civilisation.

Staying at one of the local parks puts you right in the thick of it - close enough to nip into town for supplies or a proper pub meal, but far enough out to wake up to the sound of curlews calling across the moors.