Cranmore Castle

The ruins of Cranmore Castle sit on a slope overlooking the Exe Valley, about three miles south of Tiverton. What you get here is honestly quite modest - a motte and bailey fortification, the kind the Normans threw up across England after 1066, with earthwork ramparts still visible and a bit of stone structure if you know what to look for. The castle itself was probably abandoned by the 13th century, so don't expect standing walls or a keep.

It's the sort of place that appeals to serious archaeology enthusiasts and local history buffs far more than casual visitors. If you're into reading the landscape, spotting defensive earthworks and imagining Norman knights, you'll find it rewarding. Kids might manage twenty minutes before asking when you're leaving. The walk up is straightforward enough, and the views back across Devon farmland are genuinely pleasant, which saves the trip from feeling wasted.

There's no visitor facility here - no car park, no café, no admission charge because there's nothing staffed. You'll need to find your own way to it from Tiverton and allow a decent ramble to make it worthwhile. If you're based at Nirvana Glamping nearby, it's a reasonable outing to combine with other Exe Valley walks, but don't kid yourself this is a destination in its own right. It's more the final piece of a day spent exploring Norman Devon rather than a full morning's activity.