Berber Hill

Berber Hill sits just outside Exeter and gives you proper Devon countryside in a compact package. It's not a dramatic peak - more of a bracing walk up open moorland that rewards you with wide views across the city and towards Dartmoor on a clear day. The climb takes about twenty minutes from the car park, nothing strenuous, but you'll feel the incline in your legs.

This is walkers' territory. The kind of place you head to on a crisp morning before the day gets properly warm, or late afternoon when the light turns golden. Kids will manage it fine if they're reasonably mobile - the path's straightforward enough. You won't spend hours here though. An hour, maybe ninety minutes if you dawdle and take photos. That's the honest truth of it.

If you're staying at one of the holiday parks within a few miles - Devon Heaven Hideaways is practically on your doorstep, while Cofton Holidays and Golden Sands are a short drive away - Berber Hill makes a solid morning expedition before heading to the coast or exploring Exeter itself. It's the sort of stop that breaks up a park holiday nicely without demanding a whole day's commitment.

Free to visit, no facilities at the top beyond what you bring yourself. Go when the weather's settled if you can - the exposed position means wind and rain feel sharper up there than they do in town.