The Doors of Durin

You'll find yourself standing before two substantial stone doorways carved into a hillside near Stow-on-the-Wold, and the first thing you notice is how deliberately they're positioned - as if someone actually expected Tolkien's dwarves to march through. The doors themselves are the work of a Tolkien enthusiast who carved them into the rock face, and they've become an oddly compelling pilgrimage site for fans of Middle-earth.

What you're looking at is pure fan art, essentially. There's no visitor centre, no gift shop, no official interpretation - just the doors, the hillside, and the fairly obvious reference. The walk to reach them is pleasant enough, though the appeal is genuinely niche. If your family includes devoted Lord of the Rings readers or film fans, they'll find it worthwhile. Everyone else might wonder why they've tramped up a Gloucestershire slope for what amounts to a novelty photo opportunity.

The location works well as a stop during a broader Cotswolds ramble. Stow-on-the-Wold is close enough for provisions and proper attractions, and the nearby glamping sites - Cotswolds Meadow and Bluewood Lodges among them - make decent bases for combining this with more conventional walking and village exploration. Allow an hour maximum, really. Go on a clear day when the stone photograph decently. It's the sort of thing that either delights you immediately or leaves you slightly puzzled about the journey. No entry fee that I'm aware of, no set opening times - it's just there.