Birch Tor

The walk up Birch Tor takes maybe twenty minutes from the car park, and it's one of those Devon moorland climbs that feels properly rewarding without being a slog. The tor itself - a chunky granite outcrop rising out of Dartmoor - gives you exactly what you'd want from a peak: 360-degree views across the moor, and on a clear day you can pick out Exeter to the south. The summit's small enough that you won't feel crowded even when other walkers are about.

It's brilliant for families with older kids and proper walkers. Younger children might find the final rocky scramble a bit fiddly, but nothing dangerous. The moorland setting means there's nothing artificial here - no cafe, no facilities, just grass, granite, and sky. That's either exactly your thing or it isn't.

The real charm is how it sits within Dartmoor National Park itself, just 4 miles away. If you're based at one of the nearby holiday parks - Dartmoor National Park or Woodland Springs - Birch Tor works perfectly as a half-day adventure between exploring the park's wider trails and spending time at base. Go on a weekday morning if you can. Weekends pull more crowds, and the moor's honestly better when you've got it mostly to yourself. Allow a couple of hours there and back from the car park if you want to sit about and enjoy the view. No admission charge - it's just moorland walking.