Maud Heath Sundial

The sundial sits on a raised platform on Maud Heath's causeway, just outside Chippenham - a proper piece of Wiltshire history that most people drive past without noticing. It's not flashy. The dial itself is weathered and modest, but that's rather the point. Maud Heath was a local woman who, centuries ago, funded the construction of a raised path across marshy ground so people could cross safely. The sundial marks her legacy, positioned where the old causeway still runs.

You won't spend hours here, but that's not why you come. It's a five-minute stop on a walk, ideally combined with the actual causeway path itself - proper lovely on a clear day, with views across the levels. Walkers will appreciate the historical footnote; families with young kids might find it a bit abstract without the full story explained beforehand. The causeway walk is the real draw, and the sundial is the quiet full stop at the end of it.

It's free, obviously - there's nothing to pay for. Go whenever, though winter mud on the causeway can be stubborn. If you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks like Roe Deer Fields or Plough Lane, this makes a decent morning ramble before heading into Chippenham proper. Not a destination in itself, but worth knowing about if you're exploring the area on foot.