Millennium Monolith

Standing on the edge of Staines, this tall stone marker commemorates the year 2000 with the kind of confidence only the millennium could muster. It's a straightforward affair - no fancy interpretive centre, no gift shop - just a monolith doing what monoliths do: standing there, being tall, making you wonder why you've walked this far to see it.

The real draw is context. If you're already exploring the Thames-side paths around Staines or heading between Chertsey and Weybridge, it's worth a ten-minute detour. History buffs will appreciate that you're standing in an area with genuine Roman significance - Staines itself has proper heritage credentials - but honestly, the monolith itself is more of a landmark than a destination. Think of it as a good excuse to stretch your legs rather than a reason to plan your day around it.

It works best for walkers doing the longer Thames Valley circuit, or families cycling through the area. Kids won't spend more than five minutes here unless you're keen on explaining millennia and markers, which, fair play, some will be.

If you're based at Penton Park near Chertsey - which is proper well-rated and only 3.2 miles away - you could easily slot this into a morning walk. Weybridge Park Estates is similarly close at 4.7 miles. Both parks make good bases for exploring this stretch of Surrey without feeling like you're trapped in caravan-land. The monolith itself is free and accessible whenever, though there's not much to do after dark beyond looking at a stone in the dark, which has limited appeal.