Sydney Hills

The earthworks at Sydney Hills rise abruptly from the Hertfordshire countryside near Sawbridgeworth, and there's something rather satisfying about scrambling up them without the queue you'd get at bigger Iron Age forts. This is genuine article stuff - concentric ditches and banks that once formed a defensive settlement, now covered in grass and the occasional scraggy shrub.

The site itself doesn't demand hours. You're looking at maybe 45 minutes to an hour to walk the perimeter, clamber up the banks, and try to picture what life was like here two thousand years ago. The views across the valley are decent enough, particularly if you catch it when the light's soft - though it's hardly Hadrian's Wall in terms of dramatic scenery.

Historians and archaeology enthusiasts will get genuine value here. Kids might find it moderately interesting if you're the sort who can spin a decent tale about ancient Britons, but they'll want to move on fairly quickly. Walkers will appreciate the terrain - it's undulating without being knackering, and you can extend the trip by rambling the local footpaths.

Access appears to be open and free, though there's no visitor facility in sight. Pair it with Lee Valley Caravan Park at Dobbs Weir, about six miles away, if you're basing yourself in the area. It's not a destination trip on its own, but bundled with Sawbridgeworth's pubs and the wider Lee Valley walking options, it works as a pleasant half-morning diversion.