Hill Fort at Felday

Felday Hill Fort sits on high ground near Dorking, offering a proper archaeological experience for anyone interested in Iron Age earthworks. What you're looking at is a defensive settlement from around 500 BC - a roughly circular fort defined by banks and ditches that are still very much visible on the ground, even if the timber ramparts and palisades have long since rotted away.

The walk up is straightforward enough, though the terrain gets steep near the summit. Once there, you can trace the outer defences and get a genuine sense of why our Iron Age ancestors chose this spot - the views across the Surrey Hills are commanding. It's genuinely atmospheric on a clear day, less so in drizzle when everything feels a bit muddy and indistinct.

This appeals most to history types and serious walkers rather than casual visitors. If you're expecting signs and interpretation boards, you'll be disappointed - it's very much a reading-the-landscape sort of place. Allow an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're the sort to sit about and contemplate ancient settlement patterns.

It slots well into a park holiday in the area. The Green Escape and Surrey Hills Yurts are just a couple of miles away, and you could easily combine it with walking through the Surrey Hills National Landscape itself or visiting the better-known sites around Dorking. Admission details aren't readily available online, so check before you go.