Robin Hood's Butts

The name alone stops you in your tracks - Robin Hood's Butts, near Taunton, is one of those English archaeological sites that feels more like local folklore than serious history. It's actually an Iron Age hill fort, a proper defensive settlement from around 500 BC, though calling it Robin Hood's anything is pure Victorian fancy.

What you're looking at is an ancient earthwork - concentric rings of ditches and banks that once protected whoever lived here from their Bronze Age neighbours. The site itself is modest compared to the showier forts you'll find elsewhere in the South West, but that's part of its appeal. There are no crowds, no gift shop, no interpretive panels telling you what to think. You turn up, walk the ramparts, and imagine it yourself.

History enthusiasts will get the most from a visit - you need the context to appreciate what you're seeing. It's not the sort of place that grabs children, unless they're already Iron Age obsessed. Allow an hour for a proper poke around the earthworks and immediate surroundings.

The nearest town is Taunton, which has basics covered, and Holly Bush Caravan Park sits just 1.3 miles away if you're basing yourself locally. The Somerset Levels and surrounding parkland make for decent walking country if you're mixing this with a caravan or camping trip. Access is likely free - it's open land - but check locally before heading out. Spring or autumn beats summer for this sort of thing. Less mud underfoot, fewer midges, and the light's better for photography of the earthworks.