Hey Shaw

Walking up to Hey Shaw, you're immediately struck by how quietly important this place is. It's an Iron Age settlement perched above Skipton, and what remains are the earthwork defences - substantial enough to make you realise people lived seriously defensively here, over two thousand years ago. The site itself consists of a hilltop enclosure with ditches and banks still clearly visible, giving you a proper sense of what prehistoric settlement looked like without needing a vivid imagination.

History enthusiasts will find themselves genuinely absorbed here. Unlike some archaeological sites that require a guide to decode, Hey Shaw's layout tells its own story - you can practically see why they chose this spot, the views across the Dales and the natural defensibility of the terrain. It's the kind of place where you'll spend a good ninety minutes picking your way around, reading the landscape.

Families with older kids who aren't averse to a bit of countryside walking will get something from it, though younger ones might find it abstract - there's no visitor centre or interpretation boards to explain things. Free to visit and no set hours means you can turn up whenever, which is refreshing.

It pairs well with a stay at Breaks Fold Farm Glamping, just three miles away near Skipton. That's close enough for a morning outing without faffing about, then back to base for proper food. The site rewards a methodical approach rather than a quick half-hour, so build it into a proper day exploring the area around Skipton.