Thomsonsfield Broch

You're standing on a windswept bit of moorland near Thurso looking at what amounts to a pile of stones - and yet this Iron Age broch is genuinely compelling once you know what you're looking at. Thomsonsfield is a prehistoric roundhouse, built perhaps two thousand years ago, with walls that were originally double-layered and absolutely massive. What survives now is the outer wall, still standing to a decent height in places, giving you a proper sense of the structure's scale.

This isn't a polished heritage site with interpretation boards and a café. It's just you, the wind, and archaeology. That's rather the point. You're essentially walking around a ruin that's been left mostly as found, which makes it feel more real than some over-restored alternatives. From the broch itself, the views across Caithness moorland are bleak and rather wonderful - the kind of landscape that makes you understand why people build solid stone houses and stay put.

Walkers and history types will get far more from this than casual visitors. Plan half an hour, longer if you're genuinely interested in Iron Age settlements. There's no admission charge (being essentially unmarked), though finding it requires decent map work or local knowledge. The nearest base is Little Croft Highlands campsite, just under five miles away, which offers a solid HQ for exploring this far north of Scotland. Time your visit for calmer days - the Caithness wind can be fairly relentless, even in summer.