Windbury Head Camp

Windbury Head Camp sits on a windswept promontory near Bideford, Devon, and what you're looking at is an Iron Age fort - properly ancient stuff. The earthworks are still visible if you know what to look for: a series of defensive ditches and banks that once enclosed a settlement, back when people actually needed fortifications to feel safe.

This isn't one of those reconstructed heritage attractions with information boards and a café. You're out on the headland itself, reading the landscape, which means it's genuinely absorbing if you're into archaeology or prehistory. The views across to the coast are solid too, though I won't pretend you get the drama of, say, Tintagel further along the coast. It's more contemplative than spectacular.

Most visitors are walkers and history enthusiasts who've done their homework beforehand. Kids under about twelve might find it a bit thin unless they're genuinely interested in Iron Age settlement patterns - there's no climbing or interactive stuff, just the physical geography of an ancient defensive position. Allow thirty minutes to an hour, depending on how much you want to poke about.

It's free access, and fits well with a stay at Coastal Cabins Glamping or Roeys Retreat Campsite, both within easy reach. Combine it with walks along the North Devon coast path and you've got a solid outdoor itinerary. Worth a morning detour if you're already in Bideford, though I wouldn't plan a trip around it alone.