Ambresbury Banks

The Iron Age hill fort that rises above the Lea Valley near Waltham Cross doesn't announce itself with fanfare, which is rather the point. Ambresbury Banks is a proper archaeological site - ramparts and ditches dug roughly 2,500 years ago still visible enough to make you stop and think about who stood here. The earthworks form a rough oval on high ground, and on a clear day the views across towards Epping Forest justify the short walk alone.

It's not a visitor centre with interpretive boards. There's no café or gift shop. You get the fort itself and a sense of how the Iron Age Trinovantes tribe defended their territory. History types will find themselves genuinely engaged, especially if they've read up beforehand. Families with younger children might find it a bit abstract - there's no drama to it, just ancient bumps in the ground. Walkers, though, will love it as a stop on a proper ramble through the Lee Valley.

The site is free to access and roughly half an hour's exploration covers the main features. Spring or autumn visits are best - less muddy than winter, less likely to cook than summer. Waltham Cross is the nearest town, though Fowley Mead Park and Theobalds Park both make solid bases if you're after a longer stay in the area. Theobalds Park scores better (4.2 rating) and sits within reach of several valley walks, making it worth the slightly longer drive to combine the fort with proper countryside time.