Pillbox

A concrete box half-buried in the Kent countryside near Ashford - that's your pillbox. These Second World War defensive structures dot the landscape around here, built in a panicked rush after Dunkirk when everyone thought the Germans were about to land on the beaches. This particular one is accessible enough to peer inside, and it's genuinely eerie to stand in the gun slits where soldiers once watched the skies.

You won't spend hours here. Fifteen minutes, maybe twenty if you're properly into wartime history. It's the sort of thing that works brilliantly as a stop-off during a walk rather than a destination in itself. History buffs will find it worthwhile - there's something sobering about seeing the actual defensive positions up close, the narrow openings, the cramped interior. Kids find them a bit odd; some love the bunker appeal, others get bored quickly.

The real value is what you do with it. If you're staying at Broadhembury Caravan & Camping Park or one of the other local sites - Wildside Camping and Glamping and Longberry Farm Glamping & Events are both nearby - you've got a decent walking route potential. The surrounding countryside is proper pleasant for a ramble, and stumbling upon old military remains adds genuine texture to a day out.

Access is free. Just turn up. Wear decent boots because the ground gets muddy, and bring a torch if you want to see inside properly. Spring and early autumn are best - summer gets overgrown, winter's just cold and damp.