Puddingstone

The Puddingstone sits on common land just outside St Albans, a modest but genuinely curious lump of conglomerate rock that's been drawing attention for centuries. It's the sort of thing you walk past without thinking, then read the sign and realise you've found something rather special.

The stone itself is studded with flint and other fragments, cemented together by silica - it's a geological curiosity more than a showstopper. But that's rather the point. This isn't about views or crowds; it's about standing in front of something that's caught people's imagination since medieval times. Local legend has it the stone marks an ancient burial or meeting place, though the truth is more prosaic. Still, there's something satisfying about touching something so old and worn smooth by countless hands.

It's essentially free and takes about ten minutes, which makes it perfect as a quick diversion rather than a destination in itself. Go when you're walking the commons around St Albans anyway - the area is decent for stretching legs. The nearby parks like Frogmore and Cherry Green Trees are only a couple of miles away, so if you're based at one of those for a caravan holiday, it's worth the short trip.

History buffs will appreciate the oddness of it; kids will find it underwhelming unless they're into rocks. On balance, a pleasant footnote to a day in Hertfordshire rather than a reason to visit.