Chains Barrow

The walk up to Chains Barrow takes you through proper moorland - gorse, heather, and that particular Devon wind that reminds you why people bother with waterproofs. Once you're at the top, you get sweeping views across Exmoor that justify the trudge. It's not dramatic like a Lake District peak, but there's something quietly satisfying about standing at 1,260 metres with nothing much between you and the Bristol Channel.

This is walker territory, full stop. The sort of place where you'll meet people with proper boots and ordnance survey maps. It's well worth the effort if you're into that kind of thing, though families with young kids might find the exposed moorland a bit bleak - there's no shelter up here, and it gets windy enough to knock you sideways on a bad day. Allow a couple of hours from Lynton depending on your fitness.

Stay at Lynmouth Holiday Retreat and you're ideally positioned for exploring this part of Exmoor without constantly packing the car. The nearest town is Lynton itself, which is lovely and small - grab supplies before you head up, because there's nothing at the top except views and the occasional mountain biker.

Go when the weather's decent. Mist rolls in fast up here, and that spoils the whole point of coming.