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STAMFORD,Lincolnshire 1

The ducks are quacking and the riversparkles in the spring sunshine. Acrossthe green of Stamford’s famous watermeadows, young families and couplesenjoy the day, sipping takeawaycoffees from the cosy independentcafes, such as the Fine Food Store,that line the gloriously Georgian highstreet. It feels familiar — the townhas starred in period dramas fromMiddlemarch to Pride and Prejudice,just one lucky by-product of Stamfordbeing named Britain’s first conservationarea. The architecture and honey-stonestreets really aremagnificent,but that’s not all Stamford has torecommend it; this friendly townoffers good organic produce as wellas designer boutiques. There’s evenan indispensable hardware store,Harrison & Dunn, which has been astalwart of the area for years.

Fast trains fromnearby Peterboroughzoom to London King’s Cross in 55minutes, making for a quick commute.(Stamford is particularly popular withCity types). It’s more rural thanHertfordshire, classier than Essex andmore original (and cheaper) thanSurrey. Stamford is the Cotswoldswithout the cars — the same limestonespur ends here, giving those lovelystone houses and rolling hills — and itbeats its more celebrated counterpartfor fantastic schools (Oundle, Oakhamand Uppingham, as well as fee-freeDeepings and Bourne Academy).

Beyond the charms of the townitself —wemustn’t forget tomentionthe George, the country’s oldestcoaching inn, which has put upnumerous kings— the rollingRutland countryside is unspoilt andpicturesque, while there’s boatingand canoeing at RutlandWater.Residents can also take advantage ofthe extensive grounds of BurghleyHouse, just outside the town.

So who lives here? Local agents saymost out-of-area buyers are youngfamilies who have fled the Londonsuburbs in search of fresh air andspace. The nearest big city is Leicester,32miles west; Cambridge is 45milessoutheast; and in between you’ll findlush farmland and villages with properpubs. The Fens and the Norfolk coastare near enough for a day out. Everyyear, the town hosts the Stamford Fair(mentioned in Shakespeare) on thewatermeadows in themiddle of town.It has a food festival, an arts centreand initiatives to promote recyclingand greener transport. Still notconvinced? Listed stone houses costbetween £375,000 and £575,000.What the locals sayThemost beautifultown in England.Whywe love itAll the charm of theCotswolds—without the snobsand tourists.

KENDAL,Cumbria 2

This picturesque Lake District townhas superlative shopping, bags ofcommunity spirit and an enviablelocation in the heart of one of Britain’smost beautiful landscapes. It is alsospectacularly well connected: trainsfrom nearby Oxenholme, on theWestCoastmain line, reach Glasgow andManchester in less than two hours,and London Euston in 2hr 40min.It’s a 15-minute drive to theM6;manyresidents commute fromKendal toManchester or Preston.

The scenic surrounds, low crimerate, vibrant community activitiesandwide-ranging programme at theBrewery Arts Centre all add to Kendal’sappeal. House prices are typically£211,000, compared with an averageof £144,000 across the county—relatively pricey, but there is noshortage of beautiful barn conversions,small farmhouses and period countryhomes in the surrounding villages,ranging from £500,000 to about £1m.What the locals sayAmagical place full offestivals, friendly people and stonkinglocal produce.Whywe love itFriendly, fecund and slapbang in themiddle of some of theworld’s most beautiful countryside.

WYE,Kent 3Nestling in the spectacular sceneryof the North Downs, with easy accessto endless walking and cycling routes,Wye is a 20-minute drive from thecathedral city of Canterbury and hasits own station (just sixminutes fromAshford International, fromwhich you

can get to London King’s Cross in 55minutes). In the village itself —wherethemedieval street layout is part of aconservation area— you’ll find pubs,restaurants, a bank and a farmers’market, as well as independent storessuch as TheWooden Spoon PreservingCompany’s jam shop and amagicalchildren’s shoe shop, The Elves andthe Shoemaker.

Wye has a good prep school. SpringGrove, and there’s a free school on thehorizon, which is already promptingmovement into the area. Prices aren’tbad, either. Modern three-bedroomhouses on the outskirts start at about£175,000, Grade II-listed familycottages in the conservation area at£550,000 and larger homes at £575,000.What the locals sayFancy a poppadom?We’ve got the bestIndian formiles.Whywe love itA greatall-rounder, popularwith families andretirees.

THORNBURY,Gloucestershire 4

Thornbury has the ultimate lifestylemix. It’s an attractive small townwith a historic centre— there’s been avillage here since before the DomesdayBook— a castle, a 12th-century churchand attractive 18th-century houses atreasonable prices. To top it off, parkingin the centre is free, so it’s easy tovisit the traditional greengrocer andironmonger, as well as the regularfarmers’ market, get stuck into thethrivingmusical and dramatic scenesor enjoy the pubs, coffee bars andrestaurants (including Ronnies, aWhich? restaurant of the year winner).

If that’s not enough, theM4andM5meet nearby, and there isa fast train from Bristol, a15-minute drive away, to LondonPaddington. Thornbury is also setin beautiful countryside, with theSevern estuary, beaches and theWye Valley a short drive (or, ifyou’re fit enough, cycle) away.Cash-strapped parents have a goodchoice of excellent schools,including the Castle School, andthere’s an even broader choice in

Bristol. Much of the property outsidethe old townwas built in the 1960s,1970s and 1980s; three-bedders cost£180,000-£250,000. Larger periodfamily houses with a few acres go forbetween £700,000 and £1m.What the locals sayOpen all hours.Welove Riddifords— venison, anyone?Whywe love itCommunity spirit, withbig-city conveniences— and greatcountryside— on the doorstep.

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Right, Kendal’s riverfront. Far right,the North Downs near Wye. Topright, one of Stamford’s honey-coloured streets. Above, ThornburySailing Club’s regatta on the Severn

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