Doric Seat

There's a rather grand stone chair sitting in the middle of the Northamptonshire countryside, and yes, it's exactly as odd as it sounds. The Doric Seat is a folly - built in the 18th century by someone with money, time, and apparently a fixation on classical architecture. It's a proper historical curiosity, this one.

You'll find it tucked away near Milton Keynes, which makes it dead easy to slot into a wider Midlands trip. The seat itself is exactly what you'd expect: a substantial stone affair with Doric columns, built as a viewpoint or simply as a monument to someone's eccentricity. It's the sort of thing that makes you wonder what possessed the original owner, and that's rather the charm of it.

Walkers get the most from this spot. There's no visitor centre or cafe - it's just the seat, the countryside, and usually a fair bit of peace and quiet. You're looking at maybe 20 minutes here unless you're the contemplative type who fancies sitting on a stone chair and taking in the Midlands landscape. Kids will find it bizarre for about five minutes, then want to move on.

If you're based at Cosgrove Park or Ekeney House Campsite nearby, it's worth the short drive as a curious detour rather than a destination in itself. Pack it between walks around the local parks and proper attractions. Free to visit, no restrictions that I'm aware of - just turn up and have a look at this wonderfully strange relic.