Bow Henge

You'll find yourself staring at a ring of standing stones on moorland just outside Exeter - Bow Henge is one of those Bronze Age monuments that stops you dead. It's a modest site by Stonehenge standards, but that's rather the point. The stones stand alone on open ground with none of the crowds or car parks, just you and the archaeology.

There's not much signage and precious little interpretation, which means you either come armed with guidebooks or you simply wander around and make your own sense of it. Some folk find that frustrating. I found it rather meditative - just stones, moorland, and the weight of three thousand years. On a clear day, the views back towards Exeter remind you this was no accident of placement.

Walkers will get the most from this. It's not a destination in itself - you're looking at twenty minutes on site - but it fits brilliantly into a wider moorland ramble. There's also genuine appeal for anyone interested in Bronze Age Britain without wanting the Stonehenge visitor centre experience.

If you're based at Barley Meadow Touring Park, it's well within striking distance for a morning or afternoon excursion. Bring binoculars for the views rather than expecting interpretation boards. Free to visit, naturally, since there's nothing here but the stones themselves. Go when Exeter's weather is behaving - moorland mist can render the whole thing rather pointless.