Meldon Hill

The walk up Meldon Hill rewards you with one of those rare Devon views that actually justifies the climb. From Exeter, it's a straightforward push out into the countryside - nothing fancy, just a proper moorland summit that demands proper boots and gives back genuine effort-to-reward ratio.

Once you're up there the landscape opens out across Dartmoor and beyond. On a clear day you can see properly far. The hill itself isn't dramatic or craggy, which some might find a bit ordinary, but that's rather the point. It's honest terrain - no tourist infrastructure, no gift shop nonsense.

The walk takes most people between ninety minutes and two hours depending on pace and fitness. Bring water. The ground can be boggy even when it hasn't rained recently, so gaiters aren't a bad shout. Families with younger kids might find it a stretch unless they're used to moorland walking, but teenagers and adults will get on fine.

It works brilliantly as part of a broader Dartmoor expedition if you're staying at Woodland Springs Touring Park or Barley Meadow, both just a few miles away. This isn't a tourist trap - there's no admission fee because there's nothing to gate. You just show up and walk. That's rather refreshing actually. Go midweek if you can. Weekends bring more company than the hill really needs.