Lollipop Beech Tree (The 1917 Tree)

The Lollipop Beech stands alone in a Wiltshire field near Devizes, a solitary tree that's been growing in that peculiar sideways fashion since 1917. What makes it worth hunting down is precisely how weird it looks - the trunk shoots out horizontally for several metres before the whole thing suddenly decides to grow upright again, creating that lollipop silhouette the name suggests. It's the sort of landmark that stops you mid-drive and makes you pull over.

You won't spend hours here. A quick stop to gawk, take a photo, maybe let the kids scramble about on the lower branches if they're that way inclined. Fifteen minutes, tops. The appeal is more in the oddity than any deep historical moment, though locals reckon a heavy fall of snow must have bent the young sapling in the 1920s and it just carried on growing that way. There's nothing around it - no visitor centre, no cafe, no explanation board - just the tree and the field.

Walkers will appreciate it as a quirky detour on countryside rambles around Devizes, and it slots nicely into a broader Wiltshire tour if you're exploring the area. Both Mill Farm Glamping and Brades Acre Camp Site sit within easy driving distance, making it a straightforward morning jaunt before heading back to camp. The real value? It's the sort of thing that becomes a family talking point - 'remember that mad tree?' - years after the trip ends.