Holwell Tor

The walk up Holwell Tor isn't long, but it's steep enough to get your heart going. From Newton Abbot, it's a proper little climb - maybe twenty minutes if you're not rushing - and the payoff is a genuine 360-degree view across Dartmoor that makes the effort worthwhile.

You're looking at moorland in all directions once you reach the top. On a clear day, the vista stretches far enough that you start picking out distant tors and the texture of the moor itself. It's not dramatic in the way some peaks are, but there's something honest about it - no crowds, no visitor centre, just you and the landscape.

Walkers will appreciate this one more than most. It's manageable for reasonably fit families, though younger kids might find the steepness tedious without enough novelty at the summit to keep them entertained for long. The actual tor itself - the rocky outcrop - is modest rather than spectacular, so don't expect a dramatic stone formation. What you get is the walk and the views, and that's actually the whole point.

The moorland setting makes it a natural fit alongside a stay at Oakmoor Touring Park, five miles away near Newton Abbot. It's the sort of outing that works well as a morning adventure before lunch, rather than a half-day commitment. Spring through early autumn are best - winter weather on the moor can roll in quickly and cut visibility to nothing.