Herbert Monument

The Herbert Monument rises up from the Gloucestershire countryside like a Victorian exclamation mark - a tall stone obelisk that commands attention the moment you spot it. Built to commemorate a local worthy, it's the sort of landmark that rewards a detour if you're already in the Cheltenham area, though not something to plan your entire trip around.

The monument itself is best appreciated from a distance, really. You can walk right up to it and examine the stonework, read whatever inscription remains legible, and take in the surrounding landscape. On a clear day the views across the Cotswolds are proper lovely - rolling fields stretching out in every direction. It's the kind of place where you genuinely feel removed from the world, even though Cheltenham is only a short drive away.

History buffs will find it interesting as a snapshot of Victorian memorial culture, though it won't keep you occupied for more than twenty minutes or so. Families with older kids might enjoy the walk to reach it, especially if you incorporate it into a longer ramble through the countryside. Younger children will likely get bored once they've clambered around the base.

If you're staying at Cherry Tree Glamping or Red Lion Inn Camping & Caravan Park nearby, it makes a decent leg-stretcher - somewhere to park up, take a walk, and break up the day without any fuss. Free to visit, naturally. Go mid-morning before the light gets too harsh for photographs, and you'll have the place virtually to yourself.