Knowlton Church

You'll find the ruins of a medieval church standing alone in the middle of a Neolithic henge - which is rather the point of visiting Knowlton. The roofless stone structure dates back to the 12th century, but what makes it genuinely arresting is the earthwork circle surrounding it, built some 5,000 years before anyone laid a brick here.

Walking the site takes twenty minutes, maybe half an hour if you're the type to sit and absorb it all. There's something properly moving about a building abandoned to the elements, its windows open to sky, planted firmly in the middle of an ancient ceremonial space. You can circumnavigate the henge - it's roughly circular, the banks still clear - and read the interpretive boards. History buffs will find plenty to chew on here; kids might manage twenty minutes before restlessness sets in.

It's free to access and sits about eight miles south of Salisbury, between the villages of Wimborne and Fordingbridge. The nearest caravan options are Ashley Heath and Hill Cottage Farm, both rated well and close enough for a day trip. Winter's the best time, frankly - fewer visitors, the light's lower and stranger, and you won't be melting while you're tramping round the earthwork.

Worth the detour if you're doing the broader Dorset heritage circuit. Don't expect a visitor centre or facilities - it's just you, the stones, and 5,000 years of accumulated meaning. That's rather the appeal.