Meridian Marker

There's a modest stone marker sitting in the Sussex countryside near Lewes that marks where the Prime Meridian actually runs. Most people expect Greenwich, and that's fair enough - but this is the real deal, the zero line of longitude that divides east from west. It's a bit of an anti-climax if you're honest. You'll find yourself standing at what amounts to a fairly unassuming stone in open ground, which is either deeply moving or rather underwhelming depending on your temperament. The marker itself is the main event here. There's no visitor centre, no café, no gift shop trying to flog you a branded pencil case. What you get is the thing itself and the knowledge that you're standing on one of the most important geographical reference points on Earth. For geography enthusiasts and anyone with a keen interest in how we've mapped our world, it's worth the trek. Kids might find it interesting for about five minutes before asking when you're getting lunch. The walk to reach it is pleasant enough through proper Sussex landscape - rolling fields and decent views across to Lewes. Allow 20 minutes or so for the marker itself, though you could easily stretch it into a longer ramble if you're staying at one of the nearby campsites like Blackberry Wood or Chalky Downs. Best visited on a clear day when the views across the Weald are actually decent. Go on a grey afternoon and the whole thing feels rather pointless.