Temple of Venus

You'll find this 18th-century folly standing rather incongruously in the Northamptonshire countryside, a few miles from Buckingham. It's a temple - an actual temple to Venus, believe it or not - built by someone with money and decidedly eccentric taste. The structure itself is compact, ornamental, the sort of thing wealthy landowners used to commission to add a bit of theatrical drama to their estates.

Walking up to it, you get that odd feeling of finding something that shouldn't quite exist in rural England. It's a short visit, really - you won't spend more than thirty minutes here unless you're the type to sit and sketch. There's no visitor centre, no gift shop, none of that nonsense. Just the temple and the fields around it.

Historically minded types will find it interesting as a window into 18th-century taste and landowner vanity. It's not going to blow your mind if you're after dramatic ruins or proper historical sites, but it's worth the detour if you're already exploring this corner of Northamptonshire. Walkers heading out from Buckingham could easily incorporate it into a longer route.

If you're staying at Hedgehog Retreat - just 1.7 miles away - or any of the Silverstone-area campsites nearby, this works as a pleasant half-hour ramble. Bring a camera. The surrounding countryside is pleasant enough, though the temple itself is the whole point of the trip. It's free to visit and accessible most of the time, though it's worth checking locally before you make the journey.