Chalice Well

The red iron oxide that stains the water at Chalice Well is the first thing that hits you. It's rust, essentially, leaching from the sandstone aquifer below Glastonbury Tor, but locals have been telling a different story for centuries. Legend claims this spring fed the Holy Grail itself, and you can understand why people want to believe that when you're standing in the gardens watching the water flow rust-red into the stone basin.

It's a proper pilgrimage site for anyone drawn to Arthurian myth and spiritual history. The well itself sits within peaceful gardens that feel a world away from the tacky souvenir shops in Glastonbury town centre, just a short walk downhill. You can drink the water if you fancy it - at around 11 degrees Celsius year-round, it's a bit of a shock to the system. Most visitors spend 30 to 45 minutes here, wandering the grounds and sitting by the water. Kids might find it atmospheric rather than entertaining, unless they're already into the Arthurian legend angle.

The site is free to enter, though donations are requested. It's open daily, and there's genuine value in visiting if you're camping nearby - Old Oaks Touring and Bobsfield Campsite are both within easy reach. The gardens themselves are lovely, with ancient yew trees and a real sense of place that's rarely commercialised. On a quiet morning, it's one of the few spots in Glastonbury that actually feels sacred rather than staged.