Little Meg

You'll find Little Meg standing alone in a field near Carlisle, a modest stone circle that's easy to walk past if you're not looking. It's not Stonehenge. Four stones remain upright from what was once a full Bronze Age ring, probably erected around 3,000 years ago. That's the draw for serious archaeology nerds - the actual age and ritual purpose of the place, not the spectacle.

The site sits quietly in open countryside, accessible and free to visit whenever you fancy. Allow yourself twenty minutes, half an hour if you're the type to sit with it for a bit. There's no visitor centre, no café, no interpretive boards explaining what you're looking at. You turn up, you walk the perimeter, you think about the people who raised these stones. Some find that meditative. Others find it underwhelming.

Historians and stone circle enthusiasts will get the most from Little Meg. It's genuinely important archaeologically, even if it doesn't match the tourist magnetism of better-known circles. Families with young children might lose interest quickly - there's no climbing, no visitor facilities, just stones in a field. Walkers exploring the Cumbrian landscape, though, will appreciate the journey and the quiet of the spot.

If you're camping at High Hall Farm just up the road, it's worth a detour. Don't expect crowds or facilities. Do expect to stand in front of something that's been here longer than any building you'll visit this week.