Shaftesbury

Gold Hill's cobbled slope tumbles down from the town centre like something from a Hardy novel, and frankly, it's every bit as photogenic as the Hovis advert made it look. This hilltop town perches on Dorset's northern edge, where chalk downs roll away in every direction and the views stretch for miles on a clear day.

The medieval streets wind around St Peter's Church, which has watched over the town for nearly a thousand years. Proper old England, this - narrow lanes, ancient stone walls, and that famous steep street that'll have your calves burning if you tackle it on foot.

Win Green sits just a few miles northeast, offering some of the finest walking in this part of Dorset. The summit provides cracking views across the Blackmore Vale, while Fontmell and Melbury Downs SAC protects some lovely chalk grassland habitat. It's a bit of a trek to reach the higher peaks like Monk's Down and Berwick Down, but well worth it for serious ramblers.

Gillingham, about ten minutes by car, handles the practical stuff - there's a proper train station with direct links to London, plus Gillingham Museum if you fancy delving into local history. The Slade Centre occasionally hosts decent productions too.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. You're close enough to pop into town for supplies or a pub lunch, but far enough out to enjoy the countryside properly. Center Parcs Longleat Forest and the main Longleat park offer family-friendly bases, while the smaller glamping sites like Gold Hill Glamping and Starlight Glamping put you right in the heart of the downs. Either way, you'll wake up to some of southern England's most unspoilt landscape.