Hut Circles

Bronze Age settlements don't announce themselves. You're walking across moorland near Bodmin, grass underfoot, wind in your face, when suddenly the landscape reveals itself - shallow circular depressions in the turf, stone foundations barely a metre high, the ghost-marks of roundhouses that stood here three thousand years ago.

These hut circles are the real deal. What you're looking at are the remains of actual dwellings, built by people who farmed this harsh Cornish moorland when the climate was warmer and the population was sparse. The circles vary in size, suggesting different households or purposes - some have been excavated and researched, others are still mystery. You can walk between them, touch the stones, try to imagine what life was like in such exposed terrain.

This is for walkers and archaeology enthusiasts primarily. Families with young children might find an hour absorbing, but there's limited interpretation on site - you'll want to do your homework beforehand or bring a good guidebook. The moorland itself is beautiful and bleak, which adds to the experience rather than detracting from it.

It's free to visit and accessible year-round, though winter winds here are serious. If you're staying at Camp De Lank or Trewithen Farm nearby, this makes a proper morning walk. Budget two hours if you're thorough, less if you just want a feel for the place. It's not flashy or manicured, which is precisely why it works.