Membury Castle

You'll find yourself climbing a steep grassy slope just outside Chard to reach this Iron Age hillfort, and it's worth the puff. Membury Castle is essentially a series of concentric earthen ramparts that once formed a proper defensive settlement - nothing flashy remains, but the scale of the earthworks tells you straight away this was serious business around 500 BC.

The views across the Somerset levels from the top are genuinely fine, especially if you catch it on a clear morning. You can make out the landscape for miles - which explains perfectly why the Iron Age lot chose this spot. The site itself takes about an hour to properly explore and photograph, though most people spend twenty minutes walking the perimeter and calling it done.

It's free and accessible year-round, which is the main selling point. Families with older children will enjoy it more than young kids - there's no playground element, just walking and scrambling about on grass. Walkers pass through regularly as part of longer routes around Chard, which is a decent market town with basic facilities if you need a coffee before or after.

If you're based at Dimpsey Shepherd's Hut Glamping nearby, it's an easy morning jaunt before heading elsewhere. Don't expect a visitor centre or interpretation boards - this is raw archaeology without the gift shop. Go early to beat any afternoon crowds, though frankly crowds aren't really a problem here. It's the real thing, and that's why it matters.