Saffron Walden

Medieval streets wind past timber-framed houses that have watched centuries pass by, while an enormous maze lurks in the grounds just outside town. Saffron Walden feels like it's been lifted from a Jane Austen novel, complete with a proper market square and the kind of independent shops that have long vanished from most high streets.

The town's crown jewel is its magnificent church, St Mary the Virgin, which towers over the medieval core with its soaring spire. But it's the maze at Bridge End Garden that really sets pulses racing - one of only eight historic turf mazes left in England. Takes a good half hour to solve if you're clever about it.

Audley End House sits just outside town, a Jacobean mansion so grand that James I supposedly complained it was too big for a king. The grounds are spectacular in spring when the daffodils carpet the parkland. Less well-known is the nearby Anne of Cleves House, though it's worth seeking out for its Tudor timber framing.

Countryside fans will love the network of ancient woodlands scattered around the area. Hempstead Wood offers proper walking trails, while the various Bendysh Woods provide quieter spots for a ramble. Castle Camps Hill gives cracking views across the Essex-Cambridgeshire border on a clear day.

Getting here is straightforward enough - it's about 15 miles south of Cambridge, easily reached by car via the M11. The nearest railway station is actually Audley End, a couple of miles out of town but with decent connections to London Liverpool Street.

Staying at one of the nearby camping spots or glamping sites makes perfect sense. You're within striking distance of Cambridge for a day trip, but far enough out to enjoy proper countryside peace. Several farms in the area have embraced glamping, offering everything from bell tents to treehouses for those wanting something a bit different.