The Grey Mare and her Colts

Three sarsen stones jutting from a Dorset hillside - that's all that remains of what was once a proper Neolithic burial chamber. The Grey Mare and her Colts, near Dorchester, sits in a field off a country lane, and honestly, it's a bit underwhelming at first glance. You're looking at the residue of a 5,000-year-old portal tomb, with the larger upright stone supposedly the 'mare' and two smaller ones her 'colts'. Local folklore insists the stones can't be counted the same way twice, which is the kind of thing locals say about old rocks.

What makes it worth the detour, though, is the walk itself and the sense of actually standing in front of genuine prehistory. This isn't a visitor centre with a gift shop - it's raw archaeology. You'll need ten minutes to find it, another ten to look around, then half an hour to recover from the slightly disappointing realisation that you've driven to see three stones. Walkers heading out from Dorchester will find it a reasonable leg-stretcher, though it won't occupy families with restless kids for long.

The site costs nothing and has no formal opening hours - you just turn up. Spring is best when the surrounding fields aren't waterlogged. If you're camping at Litton Lakes or Bagwell Farm Touring Park nearby, it's worth tacking on to a broader Dorchester exploration rather than making it your sole destination. Combine it with Roman town walks and you've got a proper day's history done.