Tree of Heavenly Wisdom

The Tree of Heavenly Wisdom stands in Powys, a few miles from Welshpool, and it's one of those landmarks that stops you dead when you round a corner. A massive yew tree - ancient, gnarled, the kind of thing that makes you feel properly small - it's the sort of place that rewards actually getting out of the car and sitting with it for a bit rather than just snapping a photo and moving on.

This isn't a ticketed attraction with visitor centres or gift shops. It's a working landmark that you visit on foot, which means you'll need sturdy shoes and should check the weather before heading out. Local walkers use it as a waypoint on longer routes through the mid-Wales countryside, and it's brilliant if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Bank Farm is barely a mile away, or Seven Oaks if you fancy a bit further out.

History enthusiasts will get the most from it. Yews this old carry serious weight in folklore and settlement patterns. You're looking at centuries of local stories here. Families with young children might find it a bit underwhelming on its own - there's not much to actually do, just contemplate and explore - but as part of a broader walk it works a treat.

Allow 20 minutes to half an hour depending on how long you want to linger. Go when the light's decent, ideally morning or late afternoon. It's free, naturally, and it fits perfectly into a Powys walking holiday where you're piecing together the landscape one old tree and stone wall at a time.