Nantwich

Nantwich offers a good range of places to stay for a market town of its size, from historic timber-framed inns right in the town centre to quieter countryside B&Bs and hotels in the surrounding villages. The Crown Hotel, itself one of the town's striking black-and-white Tudor buildings on the High Street, is among the best-known options, putting you within a short walk of the museum, St Mary's Church and the independent shops around The Square. For a quieter stay, several farmhouse B&Bs and small country hotels are dotted through the dairy farmland that surrounds Nantwich, offering an easy escape while keeping the town's restaurants and canal towpaths within easy reach. Nantwich's position just off the A51 and A529, with its own railway station on the Crewe to Shrewsbury line, also makes it a practical base for exploring further afield, whether that's a day trip into Chester, a look around Crewe, or an afternoon following the Shropshire Union Canal on foot. Booking ahead is worth doing around the town's bigger annual events, particularly the January Battle of Nantwich re-enactment, the Easter Jazz, Blues & Music Festival and the September Food Festival, when accommodation in and around the town centre fills up quickly. Outside of festival weekends, Nantwich tends to be a relaxed, good-value place to stay, and its small size means that wherever you base yourself, the Tudor heart of the town is rarely more than a few minutes away.

Nantwich rewards a slow wander, and its compact centre means most of the key sights are within easy walking distance of each other.

• Nantwich Museum — a free town museum on Pillory Street covering the story of Nantwich from Roman salt-making through the Great Fire of 1583, the Civil War Battle of Nantwich and the town's later shoe and clothing trades.
• St Mary's Church — a striking 14th-century red sandstone parish church, often called the "Cathedral of South Cheshire", with an octagonal tower and a beautifully carved medieval choir.
• Churche's Mansion — a superbly preserved timber-framed merchant's house dating from 1577, one of the few buildings in the town centre to survive the great fire, now used as a restaurant and function venue.
• The Square and High Street — the heart of the Tudor town, home to rows of black-and-white buildings including the historic Crown Hotel, plus independent shops, a traditional grocer and a well-loved cheese shop.
• Shropshire Union Canal — the Nantwich stretch of the "Shroppie" is a popular spot for a towpath walk or a short boat trip, with the canal crossing the Chester road on a cast-iron aqueduct just outside town.
• Nantwich Brine Pool — an open-air, naturally warmed swimming pool fed by the town's ancient salt springs, a quirky reminder of the industry that built Nantwich.
• Nantwich Food Festival — a major September event celebrating Cheshire produce, alongside the town's other annual highlights, the January Battle of Nantwich re-enactment and the Easter Jazz, Blues & Music Festival.

Nantwich punches well above its weight for food and drink. Churche's Mansion, the town's beautifully preserved 1577 timber-framed house on Hospital Street, is now an award-winning restaurant and bar known for its fireplace-warmed dining room and seasonal British menu. The town centre has a good selection of independent cafes, traditional pubs and a well-regarded cheese shop reflecting Cheshire's dairy heritage, while the Nantwich Food Festival each September brings the county's best producers into the town for a weekend. Between the historic inns around The Square and the newer independent openings on Hospital Street and Beam Street, there is plenty to explore after a day of sightseeing.

Wild camping is not legally permitted in England without the landowner's permission, so camping around Nantwich means booking into one of the established campsites dotted through the surrounding south Cheshire countryside. The gently rolling farmland around the town, much of it given over to the dairy pasture that has long defined this part of Cheshire, is well suited to relaxed, family-friendly touring and camping sites rather than rugged wild terrain, and several sites within a short drive of Nantwich offer grass pitches for tents alongside touring caravan facilities. A handful also have glamping pods, shepherd's huts or static options for anyone who wants a countryside stay without bringing their own tent.

The Shropshire Union Canal, which passes close to Nantwich on its route between Chester and the Midlands, adds another dimension for anyone camping in the area, with towpath walking and cycling routes leading out into open countryside in both directions. Nearby villages and farms host smaller, quieter sites that suit those looking to get away from it all while staying within easy reach of Nantwich's shops, pubs and Tudor streets, and the flat, easy-going terrain makes the area accessible for families and less experienced campers alike.

Spring through to early autumn is generally the best window for camping around Nantwich, when the Cheshire countryside is at its greenest and the town's events calendar, including the Easter music festival and the September Food Festival, gives campers a good reason to combine a countryside stay with a day in town. Summer weekends and festival dates can get busy, so booking ahead is worth it. Some sites stay open into autumn and winter for hardier campers and those in campervans or caravans, though facilities and pitch availability can be more limited outside the main season. Whatever the time of year, a campsite near Nantwich offers a peaceful, rural base with one of Cheshire's most characterful market towns just a short drive or cycle away.