AS a base for exploring one of the loveliest areas of Britain, Leominster is hard to beat. It is surrounded on all sides by an extraordinary wealth of beauty, history and interest. But it is also a place of great interest in itself. People come from far and wide to Leominster, which has one of the leading provincial salerooms for antiques and fine ats, and numerous quality antique businesses. The Priory is a real architectural gem. There are lots of buildings in the town which are of great architectural interest. And the narrow streets contain an array of varied and interesting shops.

The flavour of the place is captured in fascinating alleys such as Drapers Lane and School Lane, in the characterful Corn Square, in the grand style of Broad Street or the lovely lanes around the Priory, and of course in the picturesque Grange Court, the former Market Hall, which provides a lovely backdrop for cricket matches on the Grange, Leominster's wide park. How quintessentially English can you get?

Grange Court is a lovely black and white building with external woodcarvings, and incorporates work by John Abel, the King's carpenter.

Black and white buildings abound in the town and in the villages all around, which are full of character and interest. So much so that visitors can follow the Black and White Village Trail through some of the loveliest of them, and through some of the area's most beautiful scenery.

If you like visiting stately homes and fine gardens, the Leominster area also has plenty to offer, from National Trust properties like Berrington Hall and Croft castle to the famous Burford House Gardens, stunningly sited in a loop of the lovely River Teme and holding the national clematis collection, or Dinmore Manor and Gardens, where there is a 1,200-year-old yew.

Wine enthusiasts can sample and buy Herefordshire wine at Broadfield Vineyards at Bodenham, or you can sample the famous local ciders.

There are ruined castles, hill forts, the Working Horse Centre, near Kington, lots of fine footpaths, flying, paragliding, parachuting and much more!