Castle Hill

The earthwork sprawls across the hilltop like a faint memory of Sheffield's iron age past. Castle Hill is no castle at all - it's an iron age fort, its defensive banks still visible if you know where to look, though time and urban expansion have left them rather modest compared to what they must have been two thousand years ago. You're looking at archaeology that requires a bit of imagination to fully appreciate.

Walking the site takes maybe thirty minutes, longer if you're the sort to sit and contemplate ancient defensive strategies. Bring a decent map because signage is thin on the ground. The real pleasure here is the walk itself - it's accessible from Sheffield's suburbs, making it perfect for a morning outing before heading to one of the nearby parks like Rother Valley Country Park, just five miles south, where you can follow up the history lesson with some proper outdoor recreation.

History types will find it genuinely interesting. Families with young kids might struggle - there's not much to actually do once you've clocked the earthworks, and it's not the kind of place that holds attention for hours. Walkers, though, will appreciate it as a waypoint on a broader ramble through the Peak District's fringes.

Free to visit, open whenever you fancy it really since it's just an outdoor site. Go on a clear day when the views across Sheffield aren't completely swallowed by cloud. Afternoon light picks out the banks better than morning does.