21st C Folly (mound)

A modern mound built in 2000 to mark the millennium, 21st Century Folly sits on high ground near Stroud with views across the Gloucestershire countryside. It's essentially a hefty earthwork - the sort of thing that makes you wonder why someone bothered, then you get to the top and realise the views are actually rather good.

There's no formal visitor infrastructure here, which is either refreshingly honest or frustratingly vague depending on your mood. Access appears to be on foot across local farmland, so you'll need to sort out the practicalities before you go - it's not a drop-in spot. The walk up takes twenty minutes or so. Once there, you're standing on a proper high point with decent sight lines across the Cotswold Edge and down into the valleys. On a clear day it's worth the leg work.

This appeals mainly to walkers and landscape enthusiasts rather than families after a quick photo stop. Kids might find it dull unless they're the sort who enjoy rambling and summit bagging. The real value comes if you're already exploring the walking routes around Stroud - there are proper footpaths crisscrossing this area. If you're staying at any of the glamping sites nearby like Painswick Glamping or Cherry Tree Glamping, it's a decent afternoon walk rather than a destination in itself.

It's free, it's open whenever, and it requires zero planning beyond checking the weather and finding your route in. Bit of an odd duck, really, but that's rather the point of a folly.