BBC 6BM

The Second World War bunker at BBC 6BM sits just outside Christchurch, a concrete reminder of when the BBC's Monitoring Service tracked enemy broadcasts from this very spot. It's not glamorous - just a squat, reinforced structure half-buried in what's now scrubland - but it's genuinely significant. During the war, linguists and radio operators worked here round the clock, intercepting Nazi propaganda and military communications. Walking around the exterior gives you a feel for the paranoia of the era: the blast walls, the cramped underground layout visible through vents and openings.

Truth is, there's not much to do here unless you're properly into wartime history or industrial archaeology. You can't get inside - it's protected but not open to casual visitors - so expect a 15-minute walk around the perimeter, tops. Families with small children will lose interest fast. But if you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Meadowbank Holidays or Sandhills over the road, and you've got a keen history buff in the group, it's worth the detour from Christchurch. The walk out there is pleasant enough, cutting through local paths.

Check ahead before you go - access arrangements change, and you'll want to know the current rules. Free to look at from outside, obviously. Pair it with a proper tour of Christchurch itself or the larger wartime sites in Dorset if you've got serious interest. Otherwise, it's a bit of an acquired taste.