Lydney Camp

The Iron Age earthworks at Lydney Camp sit on a hilltop overlooking the Severn, and honestly, they're more impressive than you'd expect from a distance. What you're looking at is a proper defensive settlement - high ramparts and ditches that once enclosed maybe five hectares - though the Romans later built a temple here too, which tells you something about how significant this spot was.

Walking the perimeter takes a solid hour if you're properly interested, less if you're just after the views. The thing is, there's not much interpretation on site, so you'll need to either do your homework beforehand or bring someone who knows their Iron Age hill forts. For archaeology enthusiasts, though, this is exactly the kind of landscape you come for - you can actually read the defences, see how they used the terrain.

It's free to visit and accessible year-round, though winter is muddy. Families with younger kids might find it a bit abstract - there are no reconstructions or museums attached, just the land itself. If you're staying at Whitemead Forest Park or Deanwood Holiday Cottages nearby, this makes a decent morning outing before heading into Lydney proper for lunch.

The Severn views are the real reward here. On a clear day you can see right across to Wales. Worth the trip if you're already in the Forest of Dean area, but don't make a special journey unless you're genuinely into Iron Age settlement patterns.