Bradley Hill Fort

Iron Age earthworks crown this windswept hilltop just outside Frodsham, where ancient ramparts still trace the outline of a 2,000-year-old fort. Walking the perimeter takes about twenty minutes, following the raised banks and ditches that once defended this strategic position overlooking the Mersey valley.

History buffs will find plenty to ponder here - the fort's commanding views across to Liverpool and down towards Chester explain exactly why our Celtic ancestors chose this spot. Kids might need a bit of imagination to get excited about what are essentially grassy mounds, but the short climb up from the village makes it a decent leg-stretcher.

Access is free and the site never closes, though there's precious little interpretation on the ground. Best tackled as part of a longer walk along the Sandstone Trail, which passes right through the fort on its way between Beacon Hill and Frodsham.

For families staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like Delamere Forest or Wild Shore Delamere, it's a proper contrast to the managed woodland walks most people expect in Cheshire. The fort sits barely a mile from Lady Heyes Holiday Park, making it an easy morning excursion before heading back to more conventional attractions. Allow an hour including the walk up from Frodsham - longer if you're planning to continue along the trail.