Stroud

Five steep valleys radiate out from this former textile town like spokes from a wheel, each one carved deep into the Cotswold escarpment. Stroud sits at their heart, a proper working town that's shaken off its industrial past to become something rather special - part bohemian enclave, part foodie destination, all refreshingly unpretentious.

The town centre has a Saturday farmers' market that's genuinely worth the trip. Real producers selling actual local stuff, not the usual tat. Between market days, poke around the independent shops and galleries like Knitwit, where local artists display their work alongside vintage finds. The Fresh Standard brewery does excellent craft ales if you fancy a pint with your culture.

Heading out into the surrounding countryside reveals why this area feels so distinctive. Woodchester Valley stretches south, home to the excellent Woodchester Valley Vineyard Cellar Door where you can taste wines grown on these unlikely slopes. The mysterious Long Stone stands sentinel on nearby hills, while more adventurous types can explore Hermit's Cave tucked into the limestone escarpment.

Brown Hill and Culver Hill offer cracking walks with views across the Golden Valley, though it's a bit of a climb. The old wool towns of Nailsworth and Minchinhampton are within easy reach, the latter home to a lovely community library if the weather turns.

Getting here's straightforward enough - regular trains from London Paddington take about 90 minutes, or it's an hour and a half by car via the M4 and A419. Staying at one of the holiday parks dotted around the valleys, like Middle Lypiatt or Painswick Glamping, puts you right in the heart of some of England's most underrated countryside, with Bath, Cheltenham and the Cotswolds proper all within striking distance.