Hembury

The walk up Hembury rewards you with views that stretch across half of Devon on a clear day. It's not particularly high - 900 feet or so - but the ridge position means you get proper expansive vistas across the Exe Valley towards Exmoor. From West Hill, it's maybe forty minutes on foot, and the path is well-trodden without being tedious.

What makes it worth the trip is the sense of isolation you get up there. The summit itself has an Iron Age hill fort - earthwork ramparts still visible if you know what to look for - which adds a bit of substance to what might otherwise be just another bump on the horizon. On a blustery day it can feel genuinely remote, even though civilisation isn't far below.

Historically minded visitors will get something from the fort's Bronze Age origins, though you won't find interpretation boards or any fuss about it. Walkers come here as part of a bigger loop, and it slots nicely into a park holiday along this stretch of mid-Devon. The Exe Valley provides good walking country all around, and Hartridge Springs Spa Glamping sits five miles away if you're after that sort of base.

Go on a clear morning before the clouds roll in from the coast. The walk takes about ninety minutes there and back including a breather at the top. Free, obviously, and no facilities up there - bring water. It's not a destination in itself, but paired with the broader walking landscape around West Hill, it's absolutely worth half a day of your time.