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Stunning Pre-Raphaelite stained glass

Close to London in the rolling Hertfordshire countryside, Waterford is a peaceful spot with great transport links. Explore its beauty at the Grade II listed St Michael and All Angels. Richly designed, the church boasts windows by William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones and Ford Madox Jones, lovers of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Head outdoors to Waterford Heath, a former quarry that has been transformed into a community nature park. It's an important reserve for grizzled skipper butterflies which feed on the wild strawberries. You might be able to spot a skylark or fieldfare depending on the time of year.

Keep the kids amused

The village is also close to Hertford, home to the local history museum which has plenty to keep the kids occupied. They might not be quite so keen on the largest collection of toothbrushes in the UK, but you can also wander round the Jacobean knot work garden. Hertford is home to around 200 shops in the town centre, so as well as your usual high street favourites and the Bircherley Shopping Centre there are independent traders, specialist shops and a Saturday market.

See where your food really comes from

Visit a working farm - Foxholes Farm, just outside Hertford - and see what farmers really do all day. Spend time with chickens, baby goats, lambs, chicks, alpacas, donkeys, guinea pigs and calves. If you're lucky, it might be feeding time. And when you get hungry, take a picnic or visit Granny Smith's tea rooms. Planning a trip to Waterford? Travelodge Hatfield Central Hotel is a great spot for you.