Segsbury Camp

The Iron Age ramparts rising from the Berkshire downs near Wantage are something of a surprise when you crest the hill. Segsbury Camp sprawls across the ridge with defensive ditches still clearly visible, their earthen walls holding their shape after two thousand years. It's a proper archaeological site, though nothing remains of the structures that once stood here - you're looking at the defensive framework of an ancient settlement, not reconstructed buildings or museums.

Walkers get the most from this one. The camp itself sits at roughly 270 metres and rewards the climb with generous views across the Vale of the White Horse. The ramparts make for an absorbing circuit walk, and you can clearly read the engineering - multiple ditches on the vulnerable sides, steeper drops where natural topography did the work. There's no visitor centre, no facilities, no entry fee. Just you, the wind, and two millennia of history underfoot.

It works brilliantly as part of a longer Downs walk rather than a destination in itself. Solo visitors or keen history types will spend an hour or so poking around; families with young children might find it less engaging unless they're the sort who enjoy scrambling up ancient earthworks. The nearby glamping options at Evelyns Garden and Lorne Hill Farm make decent bases for exploring this stretch of Berkshire. Hit it on a clear day when the views punch through - grey skies flatten the whole experience. Allow an hour minimum if you're making it a proper visit, longer if you're combining it with the surrounding footpaths.