Girton College, University of Cambridge

Girton College sits just outside Cambridge, a proper Victorian foundation that broke ground when women weren't supposed to be at university at all. Founded in 1869, it's one of Cambridge's older women's colleges, and the campus itself tells that story - red brick buildings with real character, nothing like the honey-stone colleges in the city centre.

You can walk the grounds during visiting hours (best to check ahead for access), and it's worth the trip if you're interested in Cambridge's actual history rather than just the chocolate-box shots. The chapel is worth seeing, and the gardens are genuinely pleasant for a stroll. It's not a major attraction in the way King's College Chapel is, but that's partly the point - you'll have the place almost to yourself.

History types and architecture enthusiasts will find more here than casual day-trippers will. Families with teenagers interested in university life get something from it; younger kids might find it a bit slow. Allow an hour, maybe 90 minutes if you're thorough.

It's three miles from Cambridge centre, manageable on foot or a short cycle ride. If you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Highfield Farm or Gayton Farm are closest - it makes a decent morning or afternoon slot before heading into the city proper. Don't expect queues or a gift shop. Just history, quiet, and the chance to see a place that genuinely mattered.