Shoulsbury Castle

The earthworks at Shoulsbury sit on high ground above Lynton, commanding views across the Bristol Channel that must have made them strategically valuable when they were first thrown up. What you're looking at is a Iron Age fort - the kind of defensive settlement that would have housed a community for generations, though today it's just grass-covered banks and ditches that take a bit of imagination to read properly.

Walking the perimeter takes twenty minutes or so, and honestly, the views matter more than the archaeology itself. On a clear day you can see right across to Wales. The site feels genuinely remote, even though it's accessible from Lynton without too much faffing about. There's something satisfying about standing on ancient ramparts and getting proper perspective on how long humans have been fighting over good land.

History buffs will find it worthwhile - the defensive design is still legible if you know what you're looking for. Kids under ten might find it a bit abstract; there are no information boards or reconstructions to grab their attention. Families staying at Lynmouth Holiday Retreat could easily work it into a broader walk around the area, combining it with the coastal paths that make this part of Devon so worth visiting.

Free to access, no formal opening hours. Go in dry weather if you can - the ground gets boggy and the views disappear entirely in coastal mist.