Cirencester Abbey gardens

The Abbey gardens in Cirencester are what remain of a once-vast Augustinian monastery, dissolved in the 1530s like so many others. What you get now is a proper walk through ruins and manicured grounds where the medieval layout is still readable if you know where to look. The old cloister garden sits peaceful and green, with sections of stonework poking through the grass - nothing flashy, but genuinely atmospheric on a quiet morning.

This is one for history walkers and people who like reconstructing the past from fragments. You'll spend forty minutes here if you're thorough, longer if you're the type to sit and sketch or take photographs. Families with very young children might find it a bit thin on the ground after the initial novelty of climbing on walls wears off.

The location is brilliant - right in Cirencester itself, just a short walk from the market town centre. If you're camping at Cirencester Park Caravan and Motorhome Club just down the road, this is an easy morning outing before exploring the town. The Hoburne Cotswold site, four miles out, gives you the same advantage without being on your doorstep. Pair it with Cirencester's excellent local museum for a proper afternoon of local heritage - the two work well together.

Access and admission details weren't entirely clear when I checked, so ring ahead or ask at the tourist office when you arrive. The gardens themselves are free to wander most of the year.