The Stone

Standing stones don't get much more enigmatic than this solitary monolith just outside Worcester. The Stone - as locals simply call it - rises from a field with absolutely no fanfare, no interpretation boards, and precious little context for the casual visitor. What you get is a single weathered block of sandstone, roughly eight feet tall, that's been marking this spot for possibly thousands of years.

History buffs will find themselves frustrated and fascinated in equal measure. Nobody knows exactly when it was erected or why, though theories range from Bronze Age boundary marker to medieval waystone. The lack of signage means you're left to your own imagination, which can be either liberating or maddening depending on your temperament.

Finding it requires a bit of detective work - it's not marked on most tourist maps and sits in private farmland, though there appears to be an established right of way. The walk from the nearest parking spot takes about fifteen minutes through typical Worcestershire countryside.

Families might struggle to hold children's attention here for more than ten minutes. It's really one for those who appreciate the mysterious gaps in our past. If you're staying at one of the holiday parks near the Malvern Hills, it makes a decent leg-stretcher rather than a destination in its own right. Worth combining with a proper walk in the hills themselves.