National Trust - Ankerwycke Yew

The gnarled trunk of Ankerwycke Yew is the sort of thing that stops you dead. Standing on the banks of the Thames near Chertsey, this ancient tree is genuinely old - we're talking two thousand years, possibly more. The bark is thick and deeply fissured, the crown a bit sparse these days, but there's something magnetic about it. Legend pins it to the Magna Carta signing, though that's almost certainly fiction. What matters is the tree itself, and the quiet riverside setting.

You'll need decent walking legs to reach it properly. From the car park it's a decent trek through the National Trust grounds, across fields and along the riverbank. The walk itself is pleasant enough, especially in spring, though calling it "scenic" might oversell it. It's more about the destination than the journey.

History enthusiasts will find this genuinely interesting, even if the historical claims are dodgy. Families with young kids will probably manage the walk, but they might struggle to understand what's worth the hike once you've arrived - it's just a tree, after all, albeit an extraordinary one. Allow two hours total if you're making an afternoon of it.

National Trust land means it's free to visit, though donations are welcomed. It pairs well with Penton Park if you're basing yourself in Chertsey - you can combine a lazy riverside walk with a bit of proper history, however mythologized. Go when the Thames is high in winter, or in early summer when the surrounding meadows aren't parched.