Beeston Castle

The walk up to Beeston Castle is steep enough to make you properly grateful when you finally reach the top. It's a proper medieval fortress perched on a sandstone crag just south of Chester, and the views across the Cheshire plain are genuinely worth the climb. Once you're up there, you can wander the ruins - what's left of the keep, the outer walls, the gatehouse - and piece together what life was like during the 13th century. The castle was built by Ranulf de Blondeville and saw plenty of action during the Civil War, which explains why parts of it are now rubble.

This is the sort of place that rewards walkers and history types far more than casual visitors. You'll need a good hour to explore properly, longer if you're the sort who reads every information board. Families with younger kids might find the steep approach a bit much, and there's not a huge amount to do once you're there beyond looking at stones and taking photographs. The windier days can be brutal up on that exposed crag.

It's managed by English Heritage, so expect a small admission fee and proper facilities. You're only a few miles from Chester, making it an easy addition to a broader exploration of the area. Several caravan parks nearby - Pitch & Canvas and Little Pig Glamping are closest at just over two miles - mean you can base yourself locally and tackle the castle as part of a longer Cheshire itinerary.