Occupying a magnificent riverside position, this market town is a charming blend of refined architecture, elegant bridges and beautifully preserved Elizabethan walls. In fact, wandering Berwick’s gigantic ramparts is one of the best ways to take in the town, as they weave through parkland, skirt the river and pass some of Berwick’s finest sights.

Attractions like the Barracks and Main Guard, a purpose-built garrison created in the 1700s, that features interactive exhibitions examining the life of British infantrymen through the ages.

Locations like these all provide clues to Berwick’s turbulent past when the English and Scottish continually fought for control over the border town. Yet today Berwick has a more serene air, regularly holding festivals celebrating art, music, food and film.

Art fans will get a kick out of exploring the Lowry Trail too, which takes in the characterful lanes, structures and locations made famous in the artist’s sketches and paintings.

• Sublime riverside setting
• Incredible Tudor Walls
• Interesting barracks museum
• The Lowry Trail
• Lovely beaches nearby