The Guardian rated Shrewsbury as one of its 'Happiest places to live in 2025' and with it being very close to Birmingham, we decided to make the journey up on the train during the Easter break to test out if that was true.

Cheltenham may not be the obvious next choice on that list for a lot of people, but on the face of it, it ticked every box for us: great food and coffee scene, culture, independent shops, and a slower pace of life...