Three Storeys

Three Storeys is a rather striking stone building that rises from the hillside near Stroud like something from a Victorian fever dream. It's exactly what it sounds like - a tower of three storeys with no apparent logic to its existence, which is precisely why it's worth seeking out.

The structure sits isolated on the Gloucestershire slopes, and the real draw is simply standing in front of it and wondering what on earth it was built for. Local legend swirls around it - some say it was a folly, others that it was part of an industrial operation long abandoned. Either way, it's a proper oddity, the sort of thing that catches your eye from the road and makes you pull over to investigate.

Walkers get the most from this one. It's not a destination in itself - you won't spend hours here - but it works brilliantly as a pit stop on a ramble around the Stroud area. Allow twenty minutes to poke around, take photos, and contemplate its mysteries. There's nothing to do inside it, and admission details are thin on the ground, so treat it as a wayside curiosity rather than a ticketed attraction.

If you're camping at Tobacconist Farm or glamping at Middle Lypiatt, Three Storeys makes for an interesting afternoon detour. It's close enough that you can work it into a wider walk without adding much to your route, and it's genuinely odd enough to warrant the small effort required to find it. Don't expect facilities or fanfare - just a strange, solitary building and the satisfaction of standing in front of something that refuses to explain itself.