Beaudesert Castle

What remains of Beaudesert Castle today is mostly earthwork - a series of grassy mounds and ditches that require a bit of imagination to parse into a proper medieval stronghold. It sits just outside Henley-in-Arden, and unless you know where to look, you could walk right past it. The site dates back to the 12th century, when the Beaudesert family held sway over this corner of Warwickshire, though what you're seeing now is largely the ghost of that fortified existence.

This is genuinely one for the history-minded walker rather than families hoping for dramatic ruins. You won't find tower remains or stone walls - just the earthworks where they once stood. That said, if you're into archaeology or medieval settlement patterns, there's real appeal in decoding the layout yourself. It takes perhaps 20 minutes to properly examine the site, though you could spend longer if you're mapping out the defences and thinking about how people lived here 900 years ago.

Free to visit, with no formal facilities - just bring decent shoes and accept you might get muddy. It works well as a stop during a broader Warwickshire park holiday. Wootton Park Glamping Pods sits less than two miles away, while Stratford-upon-Avon Lodge Retreat at just under five miles gives you Beaudesert as a morning circuit before heading somewhere with more obvious attractions. Shakespeare's birthplace and Warwick Castle are both within reasonable driving distance if you're after something with more visual impact.