Tenby

Medieval walls still ring the old town centre, their weathered stones looking out over one of Wales' finest harbour beaches. Tenby's pastel-painted houses tumble down to a crescent of golden sand that fills with families and bucket-wielding toddlers come summer. The harbour proper feels properly ancient - fishing boats bob between pleasure craft while the lifeboat station keeps watch over Carmarthen Bay.

North Beach stretches for two miles towards Saundersfoot, backed by dunes and holiday chalets. It's far quieter than the main town beach, especially midweek when you might have whole sections to yourself. The coastal path here gives cracking views back to the headland and across to Caldey Island - worth the 20-minute boat trip if the monks are running their summer service.

Inland, Cresselly Big Wood offers proper woodland walking just a few miles out. Ancient oaks and bluebells in spring, plus enough paths to lose the crowds that flock to the beaches. The whole area feels different once you're away from the coast - rolling farmland and quiet lanes that remind you this is still very much Welsh countryside.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The A478 runs straight down from the M4, though it gets busy in summer. Train connections via Whitland work well if you're coming from further afield. Parking in town can be a nightmare during peak season, which makes staying at one of the nearby holiday parks rather sensible. You get the countryside peace for sleeping but Tenby's restaurants and beaches are still just a short drive away.