Conquer Barrow

Bronze Age burial mounds don't come much more atmospheric than this windswept ridge overlooking the Dorset countryside. Three thousand years ago, someone important enough to warrant a proper send-off was laid to rest here, and the grassy tumulus still dominates the landscape between Weymouth and Dorchester. The views alone justify the trek up from the village below - on clear days you can see right across to Portland Bill and the English Channel beyond.

History enthusiasts will love piecing together the stories these ancient earthworks tell, though there's precious little signage to help decode what you're looking at. Families with older children who don't mind a proper walk will find it rewarding, but toddlers will struggle with the uneven ground and steep approach. The site itself takes maybe twenty minutes to explore properly, but factor in the walk and you're looking at a good hour round trip.

It's one of those places that works brilliantly as part of a longer Dorset exploration. If you're staying at Haven Weymouth Bay or any of the nearby holiday parks around Warmwell, it makes a decent half-day outing combined with a pub lunch in one of the surrounding villages. Just check the weather - this exposed spot can be properly bleak when the wind's up.