Cranbrook Hill Fort

The ramparts are still there, surprisingly intact, rising from the Devon countryside just outside Exeter. Cranbrook Hill Fort is an Iron Age stronghold - the kind of place where you stand on the earthworks and actually feel the weight of two thousand years pressing down. There's no visitor centre, no interpretation boards, no queue of tour groups. It's just you, the ridges, and whatever story your imagination conjures.

Walking the perimeter takes maybe twenty minutes, longer if you poke around the ditches and study the defensive layout. The views back towards Exeter are decent enough, though nothing jaw-dropping. What makes it worthwhile is the raw archaeology - you're literally standing on Iron Age engineering, seeing how ancient people chose high ground and dug themselves in. It appeals to serious history types and archaeology enthusiasts far more than casual visitors. Kids might find it baffling without context; families with older children interested in Romans and Britons will get more from it.

It's free and accessible year-round, though winter can turn it muddy. Allow an hour if you're taking photos and thinking about what happened here. Summer visits are more pleasant underfoot.

Cranbrook Hill sits perfectly between Barley Meadow Touring Park and Woodland Springs Touring Park - both are within easy striking distance - making it a natural add-on to a camping holiday in the area. Pair it with Exeter's urban museums if you want to dig deeper into the period. It won't take a morning, but it's worth the short drive from your pitch.