Devon Escape

The old Devon Escape amusement park near Newton Abbot sits quietly now, more memory than attraction. What was once a proper family day out - bumper cars, a log flume, the usual suspects - has largely faded. The site still stands though, and locals know it as a piece of regional history worth a look if you're passing through.

This one's for nostalgia hunters more than anyone else. If you grew up visiting Devon Escape in the 1990s or early 2000s, there's something oddly moving about seeing the old rides and structures still there. Kids under ten might find it underwhelming - there's not much to actually do anymore - but families with teenagers who want to explore a bit of forgotten fun could spend half an hour poking around.

The real value comes if you're basing yourself at one of the nearby parks. Oakmoor Touring Park, a smart adults-only spot four miles away, makes a good home base for the area. From there, Devon Escape works as an odd detour on a ramble through Newton Abbot - you get the quirky factor of seeing what theme parks looked like before everything went digital and polished.

It's free to have a look around, though there's little infrastructure these days. Go midweek if you want peace and quiet. Don't expect much - just the bones of something that once mattered to people. That's rather the appeal.