Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire This pint-size town deserves more attention than it gets. Its pretty Georgian houses and former textile mills frame streets lined with small independent shops and cafes. An ancient bridge straddles the Avon at its heart and, just beyond the town’s striking Tithe Barn, a towpath follows one of the prettiest stretches of canal in the country. It’s a half-hour walk to Avoncliff, with its 18th-century aqueduct or a longer nine-mile hike to Bath, but there are trains back to Bradford from both. The first weekend in December sees a Christmas Floating Market along the Bradford stretch of the canal (expect local crafts, carols, mulled wine and roast chestnuts). For evening entertainment the Wiltshire Music Centre puts on quality classical, jazz and folk concerts: December’s performers include Swedish-Brazilian-Slovenian trio Elda.
