Hill Fort

The earthworks here date back over two thousand years, when Iron Age communities threw up these defensive ridges to command the landscape around Exeter. You're standing on what amounts to an ancient power statement - ramparts designed to impress as much as protect.

What you actually see is a series of steep banks and ditches cutting across the hilltop, best understood by walking the perimeter. The views across Devon are genuine payoff, especially if you time it right and the light's decent. On a clear day you can see well beyond Exeter itself. The archaeology speaks for itself if you know what you're looking at; if you don't, it's still an atmospheric spot for a proper walk.

This is squarely for walkers and history types rather than families with young kids - there's no visitor centre, no interpretation boards worth mentioning, and the slopes are genuinely steep in places. You need an interest in Iron Age settlement patterns to get the most from it, or at least the stamina for a decent hike with views as your reward.

Allow 90 minutes minimum if you're doing the full circuit. There's no fee - it's just land you can access, which keeps things refreshingly simple. The nearby Oakmoor Touring Park sits five and a half miles away and caters to adults, making this the sort of outing that suits a peaceful holiday in Devon rather than a packed family itinerary. Go early morning or late afternoon when you've got the place largely to yourself.