Hadley Highstone

Hadley Highstone sits on the edge of Barnet, a modest but genuinely important bit of English history that most people hurry past without noticing. It's a stone marker - the kind that doesn't shout for attention - but it marks the spot where the 1471 Battle of Barnet turned the course of the Wars of the Roses. Edward IV's forces crushed the Lancastrians here in a fog so thick that soldiers couldn't tell friend from foe. The actual stone has been moved and reset over the centuries, but standing there you get a proper sense of scale - this wasn't some grand affair in a castle courtyard, it was brutal and chaotic and decided the fate of a kingdom in open fields north of London.

Historically minded types will find it worthwhile, particularly if you're already exploring the broader Barnet area or heading out from North London. Don't expect visitor facilities or interpretation boards - it's very much a self-guided affair, which is either refreshing or frustrating depending on your mood. The walk itself is pleasant enough, especially if you combine it with exploring the surrounding countryside towards Aldenham Country Park, five miles south, where you can actually spend a proper afternoon.

If you're based at The Mimms Caravan Park just down the road, Hadley Highstone makes for a short morning detour - thirty minutes maximum, including the walk. It won't grab young children for long, but if you've got teenagers interested in medieval history or you're the type who gets a kick from standing exactly where something momentous happened, it's worth the trip. Free to visit, naturally, and accessible year-round.