Doncaster, the largest metropolitan borough in the UK, offers a mix of urban and rural charm.  There are a number of interesting and picturesque villages within easy reach of the town centre that are well worth a visit.

Bawtry, originally an ancient port on the River Idle, is a busy market town with a variety of attractive restaurants and quality shops and a rich history as a former staging post on the Great North Road. Bawtry is known as the 'gateway to Yorkshire', and on entering the town from Nottinghamshire on the A630, the first house on the left hand side carries the prestigious address, Number 1  Yorkshire. Neighbouring Austerfield is the birthplace of William Bradford one of the founder Pilgrim Fathers who went on to become the Governor of Plymouth Colony in 1621, making these villages a must for history buffs.

Just three miles from Bawtry is Tickhill. This attractive market town is centred around a Buttercross which was erected in 1777. The remains of a Norman Castle (not open to the public) overlook the picturesque milldam and a walk around the village reveals many designer boutiques and popular restaurants.  Little remains of the quiet hamlet of  Hampole to indicate that it was the haunt of Richard Rolle, 'the Hermit of Hampole', known as the father of English vernacular literature. At nearby Skelbrooke on the A1, stands Robin Hood's Well, an early 18th century well cover by John Vanbrugh, the architect of Castle Howard.

The historic Market Town of Thorne, 11 miles northeast of Doncaster, boasts a wealth of attractions for visitors. With its flat landscape, big skies, canals and (disused) windmills, it is often referred to as 'Little Holland'. Together with the magnificent Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve, Thorne's surrounding flat countryside makes for easy walking. The Peatlands Way links the historic settlements of Thorne, Crowle, Belton, Epworth, Haxey, Wroote, Kirk Bramwith and Sykehouse. Also worth visiting is Buntings Wood, picturesque Thorne Lock with its colourful barges and Thorne Memorial Park where there is a lake suitable for model boats, a miniature steam railway and a bandstand with free brass band concerts on summer Sunday  afternoons.

Hooton Pagnell is situated on a ridge of farmland where the ground falls steeply away to give picturesque views over the Dearne Valley and imposing Brodsworth Hall. The buildings in this attractive village are local brown limestone and of particular interest is the ancient hall with a 14th century gateway.  The village of Askern with its boating lake, and Fishlake, Arksey and Braithwell with their historical churches and architecture, are also worthy of a visit.

The countryside around Fishlake remains relatively untouched by modern agricultural development and is remarkably rich in wildlife. It is a landscape of low-lying meadows and damp pasture, cris-crossed by green lanes and drainage ditches, in which plants typical of marshy sites abound. St Cuthberts Church in the centre of Fishlake is a magnificent building built by the Normans in the 12th Century.

www.fishlakevillage.co.uk