Unspoilt natural beauty, a laid back attitude, and tradition are all on offer in Shropshire, which still manages to be one of England’s more affordable counties. Farm houses and elegant Georgian homes, with lots of land and magnificent views, are excellent value — and the schools are generally excellent. Residents of Shropshire’s pretty villages and towns are well situated for outdoor activities like cycling and horse riding that make the most of the beautiful scenery of the Shropshire Hills, but this doesn’t come at the cost of poor communications. Trains from Shrewsbury to Manchester take about an hour and a quarter, and trains to Birmingham take just under an hour.