East Dart Waterfall

The East Dart Waterfall sits deep in moorland that actually feels remote, despite being just over the hill from Exeter. You'll need to walk for it - there's no car park right at the cascade, which keeps the crowds down and makes reaching it feel like you've earned something.

The waterfall itself isn't vast. It's a modest drop into a dark pool, the kind of place that looks properly moody on a grey day and genuinely beautiful when the light hits right. The surrounding valley is what gets you though - steep banks, boulders, proper wild moorland. In summer the heather glows purple across the tops.

Walkers come here as part of longer loops across Dartmoor National Park, and it works well as a reason to venture away from the car for an hour or two. If you're based in the park itself, this is worth factoring in. Kids will enjoy the scramble down and the splash-about at the pool edge, though it's not a destination on its own for very young ones.

Timing matters. Hit it after rain and the flow is dramatic. In dry spells it's more of a trickle. There's no visitor infrastructure, no cafe, no facilities - you're coming to walk through moorland and see a waterfall, and that's it. That's also why it's worth the effort. Allow a couple of hours minimum, depending on your starting point and fitness.