Lucy Tower

A Norman keep looms above Lincoln's streets, squat and purposeful against the sky. Lucy Tower - or more properly the Lucy Tower motte, though nobody calls it that - is what remains of a 12th-century fortress that once commanded the city. You won't spend long here, honestly. Twenty minutes and you've seen it all: the grassed mound, the tower itself, the views back toward the cathedral. But that brevity is rather the point.

It's free, which helps. The walk up is brief but steep if you've got younger children in tow - doable with toddlers but you'll hear about it. History buffs will find it properly interesting: this is genuine Norman fortification, not a recreation. The views across Lincoln are decent too, particularly on a clear day when you can pick out the cathedral and trace the Roman street layout below.

Where Lucy Tower really earns its keep is as a quick city stop between the cathedral and the High Street shops. Combine it with a proper wander around Lincoln's Georgian terraces and you've got a solid morning. It's not a destination in itself, and anyone expecting romantic ruins or manicured heritage experience will be disappointed. What you get is honest archaeology and a handful of genuine perspective on medieval fortification.

If you're based at one of the nearby caravan sites - Hartsholme is closest at 2.2 miles - this works as a rainy-day filler or a ten-minute detour on your way into town. Nothing more. Nothing less.