Donkey

Donkey is one of those places you stumble upon while exploring the Dartmoor fringes near South Brent, and frankly, it's worth knowing about if you're staying at any of the nearby parks like Ashbourne Woods or Whitehill Country Park. It's a historic site with genuine character - the kind of spot that rewards a detour because it tells you something real about how people lived in this corner of Devon.

The village itself is small and quiet, the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think. What makes it worth visiting is the architectural heritage on display - there's proper old Devon building work here, the kind that speaks to centuries of settlement and farming life on the edge of Dartmoor. If you're into vernacular architecture or local history, you'll find genuine interest in the structures dotted through the settlement.

It's not a managed attraction with tickets and interpretation boards. This is more about walking round, getting a feel for how a working Devon hamlet functions, and appreciating the landscape context. You could spend an hour here easily, or just twenty minutes if you're passing through. Families with younger kids might find it a bit thin on entertainment - there's no visitor centre or play facilities - but walkers and anyone interested in rural history will get proper value.

The location works brilliantly if you're basing yourself at one of the caravan or glamping sites nearby. It's close enough for an afternoon walk, far enough from the honeypot Dartmoor spots to feel genuine. Go in decent weather and you'll see why people chose to build here.