Bupton

Bupton sits quietly in the Wiltshire countryside near Devizes, and if you're the sort who gets excited about Bronze Age settlements, you'll find it worthwhile. What you're looking at are the earthworks and ditches of an Iron Age hillfort - nothing dramatic, but the landscape tells its own story if you know how to read it.

The site itself is understated. There's no visitor centre, no interpretation boards spelling everything out. You walk the perimeter and piece together what you're seeing: defensive ditches, ramparts that have flattened over two thousand years. It takes the better part of an hour to properly explore, longer if you're taking photos or making notes.

This is archaeology for people who actually want to use their imagination. Families with teenagers keen on history will get something out of it. Casual walkers might find it a bit thin on spectacle - there's no views to write home about, and the earthworks aren't dramatic enough to grab the casual visitor. Come expecting to think, not gawp.

It's free to access, as these Iron Age sites usually are. The nearest proper base is Devizes, about four miles away. If you're staying at Blackland Lakes holiday park nearby, it makes a decent morning's walking and exploring before lunch. Pair it with other Wiltshire archaeology if you can - there's better-known stuff in the area - but don't skip it if Iron Age fortifications are your thing.