Bag Tor Mine

You'll find the ruins of Bag Tor Mine scattered across moorland a few miles outside Newton Abbot, and it's the sort of place that rewards a bit of scrambling about. This was a tin and copper operation that peaked during the 18th and 19th centuries, and what remains - collapsed shafts, stone workings, scattered rubble - tells you most of what you need to know about how brutal mining life was up here on the Devon moors.

There's no visitor centre or interpretive signage, which means it's genuinely for the curious rather than the casual tourist. You'll need to do a bit of detective work with a map and decent walking boots to find the actual mine workings, but that's rather the appeal. The views across Dartmoor are decent compensation if you get frustrated hunting for the shafts.

Historically-minded walkers will get the most from it. Kids under ten will likely get bored after twenty minutes, unless they're the type who enjoy scrambling over old stones and imagining what happened. Allow a good hour and a half if you're combining it with a proper moorland walk - the mine itself is only a small part of what's out there.

It sits well within a Dartmoor touring base like Oakmoor, which is handily positioned for exploring this stretch of Devon. Admission's free, naturally - there's nothing there to charge for. Go on a clear day. Grey moorland mist is atmospheric until you're lost.