Higher Tor

The walk up Higher Tor is steep but short, and the payoff is genuinely worth the huffing and puffing. You're looking at maybe twenty minutes of proper leg work from the car park, gaining height quickly through Devon moorland that feels a world away from Exeter, even though you're only a few miles out.

Once you're up there, you get proper views across Dartmoor - rolling hills, distant tors, that particular quality of light that makes you understand why people get so obsessed with this corner of the world. On a clear day you can see for miles. The tor itself isn't much - a jumble of rocks at the summit - but that's not really the point. It's the vantage point that matters.

Families with older kids will find it manageable, though younger ones might grumble about the incline. Dog walkers love it. The sort of people who like a quick leg-stretcher without committing to a full day hike will find it perfect. You're probably looking at an hour round trip, maybe ninety minutes if you potter about at the top.

If you're staying at Woodland Springs Touring Park - which is decent enough, if a bit generic - this makes for a cracking morning outing before breakfast gets cold. It's free, accessible year-round, and the ground can get boggy after rain so go with decent boots. Not spectacular enough to plan a trip around, but if you're in the area it's absolutely worth doing.