Ringsbury Camp

Iron Age hillfort earthworks rise from the Gloucestershire landscape near Swindon, their ramparts still commanding the high ground after nearly two thousand years. Walking up to Ringsbury Camp feels properly atmospheric - the ditches and banks are steep enough to make you work for it, and once you're up there the views across the surrounding countryside justify every huffed breath.

It's a straightforward archaeological site with no visitor facilities or interpretation boards, which means you need to arrive with some knowledge or a decent imagination. History types and serious walkers will find it rewarding; families with young children might get restless after half an hour without the novelty of ruins or a café. The site is free and accessible year-round, though winter muddy seasons make the slopes treacherous.

The camp itself consists of two concentric rings of banks and ditches - a proper defensive structure from around 500 BC. It's the sort of place where you stand on the rampart and think about who looked out from here, what they were watching for. That works better if you're alone or with someone equally keen.

Park Farm Campsite sits just 2.2 miles away and makes a logical base if you're exploring Iron Age Gloucestershire. It's close enough to pop over for sunrise or sunset, when the long shadows make the earthworks more dramatic. Hoburne Cotswold Holiday Park, further out at 5.6 miles, gives you more facilities if you're after a gentler camping experience.