Longtown Castle

The ruins of Longtown Castle sit on a low mound just outside Hereford, a squat Norman keep that's seen better days but somehow all the more compelling for it. You're looking at a 12th-century fortress built to keep an eye on the Welsh border - proper serious stuff in its time, though these days it's mostly tumbled stone and grass-covered ramparts that you can wander around freely.

What you get is a quick walk round the earthworks and a climb up to the keep itself if you're feeling the mood. The views across the Herefordshire countryside aren't spectacular, but they're honest and green. It takes about thirty minutes to see the lot, forty-five if you're the type to sit on the grass and actually think about the place. There's no visitor centre, no café, no interpretive panels - just you, the ruins, and whatever you bring to it.

History enthusiasts will find it worth the detour from Hereford; anyone with a rough interest in Norman fortifications will get something out of an hour here. Young children might get bored quickly once they've clambered about. It's free and open access, which makes it refreshingly straightforward.

If you're camped at Offas Dyke Retreat or one of the other sites scattered within a few miles, Longtown works as a morning outing before heading into Hereford proper or pushing further into the Black Mountains. Don't expect drama, but expect something genuine.