Shipston-on-Stour

Shakespeare country's wool trade legacy lives on in this proper market town where Georgian facades line streets that barely whisper of their commercial heyday. The Saturday market still draws locals, though it's a fraction of what it once was when sheep ruled these Cotswold-edge hills.

Wandering the high street feels like stepping back a decade or two. Independent shops outnumber chains, and the pace is refreshingly unhurried. Saint Mary Magdalene church anchors the town centre with its sturdy tower, while St Gregory's Church sits quietly on the outskirts - both worth a quick look for their medieval stonework.

Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park transforms what could be a sleepy afternoon into something special. The restored mansion houses an impressive collection, and the capability Brown-designed parkland stretches for miles. It's a bit of a surprise finding world-class art in deepest Warwickshire, but well worth the short drive.

Countryside fans will appreciate the network of footpaths threading through Bright Hill Plantation and Hell Brake woods. Whatcote Park offers gentler walking, while the more adventurous can seek out Armscote Pond - a peaceful spot that locals keep fairly quiet about.

Stratford-upon-Avon lies just eight miles northeast, but Shipston feels properly rural despite the proximity. Getting here means driving - the nearest train station is Moreton-in-Marsh, about 12 miles south.

Staying at one of the nearby campsites like Kirby Farm or Shire Camping puts you right in the heart of south Warwickshire's rolling farmland, with the Cotswolds' honey-stone villages an easy day trip away.