Sizergh Cairns

Three Bronze Age burial mounds sit quietly on farmland near Kendal, largely overlooked by visitors racing towards the Lake District proper. These aren't your dramatic stone circles or imposing henges - just grassy humps that mark where our ancestors buried their dead some 4,000 years ago.

Archaeology enthusiasts will appreciate the site's authenticity. No visitor centre, no interpretation boards, just the cairns themselves in their original setting. The largest mound rises about two metres high, with smaller companions nearby. It's the sort of place that rewards a bit of imagination - picturing the Bronze Age communities who built these monuments when the surrounding landscape looked very different.

Finding them takes a bit of effort. The cairns lie on private land, so access depends on the landowner's goodwill and staying on public footpaths. Most people drive past without realising they're there.

Really, this is one for dedicated prehistory buffs rather than casual visitors. Families with young children would probably find more engaging ancient sites elsewhere in Cumbria. Allow an hour at most, including the walk from wherever you can park.

From the nearby holiday parks around Kendal - particularly Kendal Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite just over a mile away - it makes a decent short excursion if you're already exploring the area's archaeological heritage. But it's hardly worth a special journey unless Bronze Age burial sites are specifically your thing.