National Trust - Branscombe

The village of Branscombe, a couple of miles inland from Seaton, feels like stepping back in time - all narrow lanes, thatched cottages, and genuine working craftspeople. The National Trust owns chunks of it, which means the place hasn't been mucked about with. You'll find a proper working forge still operating, a bakery that's been going for centuries, and the sort of church that commands a hilltop with real authority.

Walking through takes a good hour if you're actually looking at things rather than just passing through. The cottages are properly lovely - the sort of places you see on the front of biscuit tins - but what makes it interesting is that people actually live here and work here. The bakery sells fresh bread. The forge does real blacksmith work. It's not a museum; it's a functioning village with heritage credentials.

Historically minded types will appreciate the medieval church and the fact that you're looking at genuine vernacular architecture from centuries back. Families with young kids might find it a bit quiet and cottage-focused - there's no playground or obvious child-focused activities, though older children interested in rural heritage will get something from it. Photography enthusiasts will be out here for hours.

It's free to wander about, which is brilliant. Spring and summer are best; winter can be bleak and the lanes get muddy. It works perfectly as a morning stop if you're based at Beer Head Holiday Park or Oakdown - both are minutes away - before heading to the coast at Seaton for lunch.