Welshpool

Black and white timber-framed buildings lean into narrow streets where Welsh voices mix with English. Welshpool sits comfortably on the border between Wales and Shropshire, a proper market town that's kept its working character despite the tourists who arrive for the steam railway.

The Powys countryside rolls away in all directions from here. Gentle hills dotted with sheep give way to proper mountains further west. Helen's Oak Wood makes for a lovely afternoon walk - ancient oaks that have watched centuries of border politics play out below. For something more challenging, the peaks of Bryn Rhosfawr and Moel Y Fronllwyd offer cracking views across the Severn Valley on clear days.

Welshpool's not trying to be anything it isn't. The high street has proper shops rather than gift boutiques, and the pubs serve locals as well as visitors. It's well connected by road and rail - you're an hour from Shrewsbury, less to the Welsh mountains.

Coed Pendugwm Nature Reserve draws birdwatchers, while the forests of Coed Dolobran-fâch and Coed Garth-fach provide quiet walking routes away from the main paths. History buffs should seek out Tomen y Cefnlloer and the Friends Meeting House at Dolobran - reminders that this borderland has always attracted those seeking different ways of life.

Staying at one of the holiday parks scattered around the area makes perfect sense. You're close enough to walk into town for dinner, far enough out to enjoy the peace of the Welsh countryside. Several offer glamping options if you fancy something different from the usual caravan pitch.