Old Oswestry

You'll spot the ramparts from the road - a proper fortress of a hill fort, rising sharply from the Shropshire plain just a few miles south of Wrexham. Old Oswestry isn't a tidy museum piece. It's raw: concentric rings of earth and stone dug out by Iron Age people nearly 3,000 years ago, then later occupied by the Welsh and fought over relentlessly. The earthworks are substantial enough to make you understand why anyone building here thought they'd picked the right spot.

Walking the outer ramparts takes a good hour if you're thorough, picking your way through tussocked grass and trying to imagine the logistics of defending this place. The views across Shropshire are decent, though nothing that'll make you gasp. It's more about standing on a genuine piece of history and letting the scale of the thing sink in.

History enthusiasts will spend time here. Casual walkers and families with small children will manage twenty minutes before getting restless - the terrain's a bit rough for tiny legs, and there's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of. Free admission, and you need to allow an hour minimum if you're actually going to engage with it.

From Fairhaven Camping or Sweeney Farm Glamping - both excellent bases - it's a straightforward drive. Worth combining with a walk around nearby Llansilin if you're in the area, or save it for a quieter morning before heading toward the busier attractions further afield.