Thatcham

Mobile phone masts and retail parks might dominate the skyline, but this West Berkshire market town has more going for it than first impressions suggest. Thatcham sits squarely between Newbury and Reading, making it proper commuter territory, yet step beyond the housing estates and you'll find yourself deep in ancient heathland and woodland that's barely changed since medieval times.

Snelsmore Common Country Park offers the best introduction to the area's wilder side. The heathland here is genuinely rare - most of it was ploughed up decades ago - and the walking trails thread through purple heather and gorse that blazes yellow come spring. It's a bit of a contrast to the more manicured attractions nearby, like Bucklebury Farm & Deer Safari Park, where red deer roam paddocks just a short drive north.

History buffs will appreciate Donnington Castle, a 14th-century ruin that saw proper action during the Civil War. The keep still stands, offering cracking views across the Lambourn Downs. Shaw House, meanwhile, represents the other end of the architectural timeline - a sprawling Elizabethan mansion that's somehow survived the centuries largely intact.

The surrounding countryside is laced with ancient woodlands. Lodge Copse, High Wood, and Brick Kiln Wood form part of a green corridor that stretches south towards Hampshire, while Grimsbury Castle's earthworks remind you that people have been settling this landscape for millennia. Getting here is straightforward enough - Thatcham station sits on the main London to Exeter line, with regular services to Reading and beyond.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense if you want to explore both the Berkshire Downs and the Thames Valley without the hassle of town centre parking.