Grey Wethers

Two Bronze Age stone circles stand on Dartmoor's open moorland, about four miles from Exeter, looking much as they did 4,000 years ago. Grey Wethers consists of two rings - one roughly 90 feet across, the other slightly smaller - arranged in a line across the high ground. The stones aren't particularly tall or dramatic, which is partly why they don't draw the crowds you'd get at Stonehenge, but that's also why they're brilliant. You get the genuine weight of archaeological presence without the coach parties.

Walking out here feels proper Dartmoor. The ground's boggy, the wind's usually up, and the horizon goes on forever. Most visitors allow 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how long you linger and whether you've turned up with a metal detector (yes, people do). There's no visitor centre, no café, no charge - just the stones and the moorland.

It's free access, though you'll need sturdy boots and shouldn't come in mist. History enthusiasts will get a kick from it, but so will walkers exploring the wider moor. Kids might find it a bit abstract unless they're really into archaeology - it's not as visually gripping as stone circles with massive standing stones.

If you're based at Dartmoor National Park for a week, or staying at Woodland Springs Touring Park, Grey Wethers makes a natural half-day detour. Pair it with other Bronze Age sites dotted across the moor or use it as a waypoint on a longer walk. The landscape matters as much as the stones themselves.