Dark Hill

Dark Hill sits just outside Coleford in the Forest of Dean, a spot that draws walkers and history buffs keen on Iron Age fortifications. It's a hillfort - the kind of place where ancient Britons once built defences, and you can still trace the banks and ditches that formed their ramparts. The remains aren't dramatic in the way Cadbury Castle is, but they're substantial enough to make out if you know what you're looking at.

You'll want to allow a decent walk to get there and explore properly - an hour at least, probably longer if you're stopping to absorb the views across the Forest. It's good family terrain if your kids are old enough for uneven ground. The approach is straightforward enough from Coleford, though you'll need decent footwear after wet weather.

What makes Dark Hill worth the trip is less the fortification itself and more the wider context. This is serious iron age archaeology, and standing there you're genuinely looking at defensive strategies from two millennia ago. The Forest of Dean setting helps - it's an area thick with history and proper walking country.

Several caravan sites sit within easy reach: Whitemead Forest Park and Greenacres Campsite are both under two miles away, and Bracelands Campsite is just three miles out. Pair a visit to Dark Hill with walks through the Forest itself and you've got a solid day. It's free to access and there's no visitor infrastructure, which suits the location.