Tewkesbury

Two rivers meet here in a spectacular confluence that has shaped this medieval market town for nearly a thousand years. The Severn and Avon wrap around Tewkesbury like protective arms, creating the famous Ham - a vast meadow that floods spectacularly each winter and provides some of the finest riverside walking in Gloucestershire.

Tewkesbury Abbey dominates the skyline with its massive Norman tower, one of the largest parish churches in England and absolutely worth the climb for views across the Vale of Evesham. The town centre feels properly medieval still, with timber-framed buildings leaning into narrow alleys that haven't changed much since the Wars of the Roses were fought on these very streets.

Beyond the abbey, The John Moore Countryside Museum tells the story of this landscape beautifully, while a stroll down to Abbey Mill gives you a sense of how the rivers powered medieval industry. Severn Ham stretches for miles - brilliant for dog walking or simply watching the Severn roll past.

Tewkesbury sits at the junction of the M5 and M50, making it ridiculously easy to reach from Birmingham, Bristol or Wales. It's also the gateway to the Cotswolds proper, with Broadway and Chipping Campden just twenty minutes east.

Staying at one of the parks around town puts you right in the thick of this river landscape. Croft Farm Water Park offers lakeside pitches, while sites like Tewkesbury Abbey Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite keep you close to the historic core. The flooding can be spectacular in winter - just check levels if you're visiting between November and March. Most parks handle it well, but it's worth knowing your exit routes when the Ham goes under.