Settle

Steam trains still whistle through this Yorkshire Dales market town, just as they have for over a century. Settle sits snug beneath towering limestone crags, its narrow streets lined with Georgian houses that seem to grow straight from the pale stone beneath. The town proper feels properly lived-in rather than touristy - locals pop into the weekly market, kids cycle to school, and the cafes serve builders alongside walkers.

What sets Settle apart is its position as gateway to some of the Dales' most dramatic limestone country. Ingleborough looms to the north, its distinctive flat summit visible from the town centre on clear days. The Ingleborough Nature Trail winds up from nearby Clapham, passing the thundering Clapham Falls before climbing into cave country. This is proper potholing territory - Gaping Gill drops a staggering 110 metres into the earth, while smaller systems like Beck Head Stream Cave and Bar Pot draw serious cavers from across Britain.

For less underground adventures, the Three Peaks beckon. Settle makes a cracking base for tackling any of them, though most folk start with Pen-y-ghent, the closest of the trio. The countryside here shifts between green valley bottoms and stark limestone pavements where nothing but hardy fell sheep seem to thrive.

Getting here couldn't be easier - the famous Settle-Carlisle railway line deposits you right in the town centre, though driving up from Leeds takes about an hour. Skipton's the nearest proper town if you need big shops or a cinema.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense. You're close enough to nip into Settle for supplies or a pub lunch, but far enough out to wake up to proper countryside views. Several glamping options dot the surrounding valleys, giving you that outdoor feeling without the faff of pitching your own tent.