Coffin Well

A squat stone well sits in the middle of nowhere near Ashbourne, and locals will tell you it's called Coffin Well because of its shape - narrow at the top, wider below, like a coffin stood on its end. Whether that's the real reason or pure folklore is anyone's guess, but the name has stuck for centuries. You'll find it tucked away on the High Peak Trail, that brilliant walking route that cuts through the Peak District, so it's more of a stop-off than a destination in itself. The well itself isn't much to look at - it's basically a stone-lined hole in the ground - but there's something oddly compelling about standing in front of something that's been here for hundreds of years, particularly when you've trudged out to find it. Walkers doing the High Peak Trail will stumble across it naturally; it's the kind of thing that makes you pause for five minutes, take a photo, and carry on. If you're based at Hartington Hills, just five miles away, it's easily combined with a proper walk along the trail. Go on a clear day if you can - the surrounding moorland can look bleak and moody when it's drizzling. Families with young kids might find it underwhelming on its own, but as part of a longer walking day it gives you something to aim for. Free to visit, no facilities, no faffing about. Just a well, a story, and the wind across the hills.