Old Fort,Belmont

The ruins of Old Fort sit on a headland just outside Budleigh Salterton, a proper reminder that this stretch of Devon coast wasn't always all seaside charm and cream teas. Built in the 1650s during the English Civil War, it's essentially a crumbling fortification - earthwork ramparts and overgrown gun positions - that once kept watch over Lyme Bay. You won't find much left standing, but that's partly the appeal. There's space to wander the site, get your bearings on what was where, and enjoy views back towards the town and across the water.

It's best suited to history types and anyone who enjoys a gentle coastal walk rather than families expecting a visitor centre or any kind of interpretation. Allow an hour if you're combining it with a stroll into Budleigh Salterton itself - the town's worth an hour or two for the shops and the pebble beach. Information online is thin, so check locally once you arrive. Free access appears standard for sites like this, though conditions can change.

If you're based at Ladram Bay Holiday Park, just two miles away, or Oakdown Touring and Holiday Caravan Park, the fort makes a worthwhile leg-stretch from the caravan. It's not a destination in itself, but as part of a coastal afternoon - combining the fort, the town, and a walk along the cliffs - it slots in nicely. Low-key and honest.