Memorial to Jim Jackson, 1985

Just outside Exeter, there's a memorial that stops you dead - a 1985 tribute to Jim Jackson that marks something most visitors won't know the first thing about. The inscription tells the story if you stand long enough to read it properly, which most people don't. It's the kind of place that makes you curious, then a bit sombre once you've worked out who he was and why someone thought it mattered enough to put a stone there.

There's not much to do beyond pay your respects and take in whatever moment drew Jackson to this spot in the first place. It won't eat up your afternoon. History types and anyone interested in Devon's quieter stories will find it worthwhile, though you need to know what you're looking for - there's no visitor infrastructure here, no car park with ice cream vans.

If you're staying at Barley Meadow or Sunsets & Marshmallows nearby - both excellent bases for exploring Exeter and the surrounding countryside - this makes a gentle detour on a walk rather than a destination in itself. It's best visited in decent weather when you can actually read the stone without squinting. Free, obviously. Allow twenty minutes if you're genuinely interested in the story, less if you're just passing through. The surrounding area is lovely for walking, so combine it with a proper countryside ramble rather than treating it as a standalone stop.