A slow weekend in Swindon's Old Town

Most people who pass through Swindon never leave the ring road. Old Town is a different place entirely. It sits on a low hill above the station, made of honeyed stone terraces, independent shops and one of the best pub scenes in the county. It's where we spend our own weekends, and it's the reason we've opened Lantern Loft in the heart of it.

Drop your bags and head straight to Wood Street. The Hop Inn is a good first stop, small and busy, with a rotating list of local cask. From there it's a two-minute walk to The Beehive for a plate of something and another quiet pint.

If you'd rather cook in, the deli at the top of Devizes Road stays open until 7pm and does the kind of cheese, bread and wine that make a Friday night in feel like an event.

Coffee at Baila or Darkroom, then a slow walk down to the Wilts & Berks Canal. The towpath runs east out of town through fields and past a couple of good pubs. An hour out and back is enough.

In the afternoon, Coate Water Country Park is ten minutes by car — 56 acres of lake, woodland and open grass, with a café at the visitor centre. Or stay in Old Town, potter around the antique shops on Victoria Road, and end up at The Tuscan Kitchen for dinner.

Sunday lunch at The Weighbridge is the one to book ahead for — a converted railway building with a proper roast and a serious wine list. If you'd rather stay closer, The Bakers Arms does a shorter, quieter menu and takes walk-ins.

Head home the scenic way through Marlborough and the North Wessex Downs. The A4 through Avebury is one of the prettiest drives in southern England, and only adds twenty minutes to the trip back to the M4.

Lantern Loft, our top-floor apartment in Old Town, opens soon. Two bedrooms, sloping ceilings, a proper open-plan kitchen and a five-minute walk from every pub in this piece. Register your interest on the home's page and we'll let you know the moment the light goes on.