Whitchurch

Market day still brings life to Whitchurch's Georgian streets, though the town moves at a pace that feels refreshingly unhurried. This border settlement straddles Cheshire and Shropshire, making it a proper crossroads community where Welsh influences creep into the architecture and local dialect.

The surrounding countryside rewards exploration. Big Mere and Little Mere offer tranquil waterside walks, while BeWILDerwood Cheshire provides adventure for families - think treehouses, zip wires and woodland storytelling that'll tire out even the most energetic kids. Cholmondeley Castle Gardens showcases magnificent formal plantings across 30 acres, though it's the ancient parkland that really impresses.

Wrenbury, just a short drive away, centres around its working watermill beside the canal. The village maintains that proper rural feel, with St Margarets C Of E Church standing guard over the Llangollen Canal towpath. Steam trains still call at Wrenbury station on the heritage railway - a lovely way to see the Cheshire Plain unfold.

Getting here couldn't be easier. The A41 runs straight through town, connecting Chester to the northwest and the Midlands to the south. Crewe's just 20 minutes away by car, bringing mainline rail connections to London and Manchester.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense. You're positioned between two counties' worth of attractions, from the meres and mosses landscape to historic market towns. Plus, having your own base means you can return for a proper brew after a day tramping through Hadley Covert or exploring the Memorial Stone to the Little Flower Girl of Wirswall - a touching reminder of Victorian sentiment tucked away in the lanes.