Great Staple Tor

The rocky outcrop rises suddenly from Dartmoor's moorland plateau, and you spot it long before you reach the base. Great Staple Tor isn't dramatic by Alpine standards, but on a clear day the 400-metre summit rewards the short walk with proper moorland vistas - rolling tors dotting the horizon, the steep-sided West Dart River valley cutting below, and on decent weather days you can pick out Bodmin Moor to the south.

Walkers will find the scramble to the top straightforward, though the granite blocks are loose enough that you'll need to watch your footing. It's the kind of place that satisfies without exhausting - thirty minutes up, maybe an hour pottering about taking photos and eating a sandwich. Kids old enough to manage loose rock will enjoy the scramble; younger ones might find it bit of a slog for what's essentially a view from rocks.

Heading out from nearby Tavistock, you can string Great Staple Tor into a longer loop across the moor. The real value comes from combining it with Lydford Gorge or a proper day on Dartmoor itself - the attraction sits within the national park boundary, so it's a natural waypoint rather than a destination in itself. If you're based at Langstone Manor or Lydford Caravan & Camping Park, it's an easy morning outing. Access is free and unrestricted, though there's no facility to speak of, so bring water. Go when the moor isn't shrouded in mist - and on Dartmoor, that's worth planning around.