Boiler House (Ruin)

You'll find this Victorian-era boiler house standing alone on the Devon moorland near Okehampton, a proper relic of industrial ambition that's been left to the elements. It's not much to look at from a distance - just a sturdy stone structure with a collapsed roof - but it's the kind of place that makes you wonder what industry once thrived out here on the moor.

Walkers love it. The site sits on or near several footpaths crossing Dartmoor, so most people stumble across it as part of a larger ramble rather than making it a destination in itself. You'll get good views across the moorland, and the ruin itself is worth ten minutes of poking about - there's something oddly compelling about Victorian engineering slowly being reclaimed by moss and weather.

Historically minded types will find it interesting, though there's limited information on-site about what exactly it powered. Families with young children might find it less thrilling than you'd hope; it's a shell, and safety concerns mean you can't go inside. Stick to the exterior and photographs.

It's free, naturally - you're out on open moorland. Allow an hour if you're making a dedicated trip, though realistically it works best as a detour on a longer walk. Spring and summer are best for visiting; winter can be bleak and muddy. Lydford Caravan & Camping Park sits just 3.2 miles away and makes a comfortable base for exploring this part of Dartmoor. The boiler house is exactly the sort of atmospheric oddity that rewards a bit of wandering.