Worcester

Rolling orchard country spreads across these Herefordshire hills, where Worcester's WR6 postcode takes you well beyond the cathedral city into proper rural territory. The landscape here is all about gentle peaks and wooded coppices - Suckley Hills offers the best views across the county, while Bringsty provides another vantage point for those who fancy a proper walk.

Dotted through the countryside, you'll find the area's network of small lakes and forests. Lawn Pool makes for a peaceful spot, though Point Pool tends to be quieter if you're after some solitude. The woodland here is extensive - Point Coppice, Long Coppice, and Halletshill Coppice create a patchwork of green that's brilliant for walking, especially in autumn.

St. Giles church anchors the local community, a solid Norman building that's seen centuries pass by. The Toposcope viewpoint gives you the lay of the land - on clear days you can see right across to the Malverns and beyond.

Getting here from Worcester proper is straightforward - about 20 minutes by car through lanes that wind past hop fields and traditional black-and-white timber houses. The nearest significant town is Bromyard, though you're really in farming country here.

Staying at one of the holiday parks scattered through this area makes perfect sense. Places like Malvern View Holiday Park put you right in the heart of orchard country, while Brook House Woods gets you closer to the best walking. It's the sort of landscape where you want to wake up surrounded by it rather than driving out from town each day.