Temple of Concord and Victory

The Temple of Concord and Victory stands on a hillside near Buckingham - a proper Georgian folly that stops you in your tracks when you round the corner. It's an 18th-century monument built to commemorate peace after the Seven Years' War, all columns and stone dignity overlooking the Northamptonshire countryside. You can't go inside, but that's almost beside the point. The whole appeal is the walk up to it and that moment when it comes into view.

This is one for walkers more than anything else. There's a decent circuit around the grounds, and on a clear day the views back towards Buckingham and across the valley are genuinely worth the trip. History buffs will appreciate the Georgian craftsmanship and the eccentric logic of building such a grand structure in the middle of nowhere. Families with younger kids might find it a bit underwhelming - you're really just looking at a building rather than doing anything - but teenagers interested in architecture or a bit of countryside rambling will get more from it.

Allow 45 minutes to an hour if you're combining it with a walk. There's parking nearby, though it's not immediately obvious where. Several of the nearby campsites - Dadford Road and Silverstone Woodlands being closest at under two miles - make reasonable bases if you're camping the area. Stick it on an itinerary with a visit to Buckingham itself and you've got half a decent day mapped out. Go on a weekday if you can; weekends bring a few more visitors than the spot really wants.