Dick Turpins grave

The grave sits in the churchyard at St George the Martyr in York, a quiet spot you'll find by wandering through the narrow lanes near the city centre. Dick Turpin, the notorious highwayman executed in 1739, was buried here after his hanging at York Castle - a grim footnote to a life spent robbing travellers on the Great North Road.

It's not a grand monument or anything. The stone is modest, easy to miss if you're not looking, which rather suits the man himself. What draws people here is the story more than the setting - the romance of the outlaw, the reality of a brutal criminal. History types will find it genuinely worthwhile, especially if you're already exploring York's medieval streets and castle.

The churchyard itself is pleasant enough for a wander, and the grave takes five minutes to locate and photograph. There's no admission charge, no opening hours to worry about. It works well as a stop during a York walking tour rather than a destination in itself.

If you're based at Nurseries Caravan Park just outside the city, it's an easy trip in. The walk from the car park takes you past half of York's best bits anyway - the Minster, the city walls, the cobbled streets. Budget an afternoon in the city rather than racing just to see the grave and back. The story's good, but York's better.