Hexworthy Cross

There's a weathered granite cross standing alone on Dartmoor near Tavistock, and it's properly ancient. Hexworthy Cross sits in open moorland with nothing much around it except bracken, sky and the occasional wandering pony. The thing actually dates back to the medieval period - a wayside marker that would have guided travellers across these bleak hills when the moor was far less hospitable than it is today.

You'll get the most from this if you're already walking Dartmoor. It's not a destination in itself - more a worthy detour on a longer ramble. The cross stands about six feet high and has that weathered, stubborn look of something that's survived centuries of moorland weather. There's no visitor centre, no facilities, no interpretation board. Just the cross, the landscape and your own imagination filling in the gaps.

Histories types will appreciate the medieval connection, and walkers treating it as a waypoint on a Dartmoor circuit will find it satisfying rather than spectacular. Allow five minutes if you stumble across it, or half an hour if you're making a deliberate trip to stand here and look around. Go on a clear day - the moor in mist strips away any sense of drama. The nearest town is Tavistock, which makes a decent base for exploring this part of Dartmoor National Park. Free to visit, naturally. No opening hours to worry about either.