This valley has steep mountains on almost every side. The ground here, maybe halfway up from the valley floor, is rocky, with thin forest in patches nearby and poor-looking farms between them. To the south, there's a gap in the mountains, and sharp eyes can see a river glinting through the pass.
Oh, also there's an enormous stone tower in the center of the valley. Taller than the mountains by a significant margin.
Nobody's immediately within sight, if someone happened to appear to do the seeing.