Wheathampstead Station (remains)

All that's left of Wheathampstead Station is a platform and a few scattered fragments, but if you're passing through St Albans with time to kill, it's a worthwhile ten-minute detour. The railway closed in 1961, and nature's reclaimed most of it - the actual building's long gone, dissolved into the Hertfordshire landscape. What remains is enough to trigger the railway enthusiast in most of us though. You can stand on that platform and imagine the steam trains that once pulled in here, the passengers rushing to catch services to London or beyond. It's the kind of spot that works best if you've got an interest in industrial heritage or railway history. Kids under eight will probably find it a bit underwhelming - there's no shelter and precious little to explore beyond the platform itself. Give it twenty minutes maximum. The walk from St Albans town centre is manageable but not particularly scenic, so driving or cycling makes more sense. If you're camping at either Commons Wood or Cherry Green Trees - both within easy reach - this could fill an afternoon gap if the weather's decent. Just don't expect reconstructed buildings or a heritage railway experience. It's a ruin, plain and simple, and honest about what it is. The real draw is thinking about what stood here, not what you'll see today.