Treryn Dinas

The Iron Age fort crowning this headland near Penzance commands attention the moment you spot it. Treryn Dinas sits on a dramatic promontory where the land simply drops away to the sea, and the earthworks - two massive defensive banks cutting across the narrowest point of the peninsula - are still obvious after two millennia. You're walking through the same gaps Celtic people used, standing where they would have kept watch for raiders.

It's a proper hike to reach it. The coastal path from Mousehole gets you there, though the final approach involves scrambling down and back up again - nothing dangerous, just a bit of work. Allow a couple of hours to get there and properly explore. The views alone justify the walk: cliffs dropping sheer into turquoise water, and on clear days you can see right along the coast towards Mousehole. Archaeologists rate this site highly because the earthworks are so well-preserved and the defensive strategy is still legible on the ground.

Walkers will absolutely get the most from this. History enthusiasts too, though you'll need to bring your own interpretation - there's no visitor centre, just you and the landscape. Families with young legs should manage fine; anyone unfit might find the scramble tedious.

Camp at Lands End Camping & Glamping nearby and you've got access to some of Cornwall's most dramatic coastal archaeology. Better yet, combine it with the coastal path between here and Mousehole - the whole afternoon becomes something properly memorable rather than just another tourist tick.