Wantage

Alfred the Great was born here in 849, though you'd hardly know it from the modest market town that exists today. Wantage sits quietly in the Vale of White Horse, a proper working town that hasn't bothered with tourist frills despite its royal connections.

The real draw lies beyond the town centre. White Horse Hill dominates the landscape to the south - that famous chalk figure carved into the downs is just a short drive away. Dragon Hill sits nearby, where legend claims St George slayed his beast. The views from up there are cracking on a clear day, stretching across three counties.

Walking the ancient Ridgeway becomes addictive once you start. Seven Barrows nature reserve offers gentler rambles through woodland, while The Blowing Stone provides a bit of folklore - blow hard enough and it's supposed to summon King Alfred's army. Good luck with that.

Downland paths thread through Lynch Wood and The Warren, proper countryside that feels miles from anywhere despite being an hour from Oxford. Blowingstone Hill rewards the climb with panoramic views, and the various copses like Knighton Bushes Plantation provide shaded walks when summer gets too fierce.

Getting here is straightforward enough - the A417 runs right through town, connecting to the M4 corridor. Didcot's the nearest rail hub, about twenty minutes by car. Oxford sits half an hour northeast if you need proper shopping or nightlife.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. You're ideally placed for downland walking without the weekend crowds that plague the Cotswolds proper. The Real Campsite and others dot the area, giving you a base for exploring this less-trumpeted corner of Oxfordshire where ancient history meets proper countryside.