Hatherland Brewery

The smell hits you first when you walk into Hatherland Brewery near Tiverton - all warm grain and fermentation, the kind of thing you can't manufacture. This is a working brewery where they actually make proper English ales, and they let you see how it's done.

You get a tour through the brewing process, watching the equipment do its thing and learning far more about hops and malts than you probably thought you'd care about. The staff know their stuff and aren't pretentious about it, which helps. The tasting room is the real pull though - you can try their beers fresh from the source, and there's usually something experimental on that you won't find elsewhere.

It's genuinely worth an afternoon if you're into beer or just fancy something different from the usual tourist trail. Give yourself a couple of hours minimum, longer if you plan to eat. Not one for young kids unless they're old enough to sit through a tour without complaints, but adults will get proper value from it.

The brewery works well as part of a wider Devon itinerary - Tiverton's got shops and decent cafes if you need to spin the visit out. If you're staying at Nirvana Glamping, which is only a short drive away, this makes a solid evening activity. Check their website before heading over - opening hours and whether they're running tours can vary.