Pillow Mounds

These Bronze Age burial mounds sit quietly on Dartmoor, a few miles north of Plymouth, and they're genuinely eerie to walk amongst. You're looking at a handful of low, grassy humps scattered across open moorland - nothing dramatic, but when you realise you're standing over tombs that are four thousand years old, the scale shifts. The best part is how accessible they are. There's no visitor centre, no queues, no entrance fee. You just turn up and walk around them.

History types will find this properly absorbing. The mounds themselves are small - maybe a metre or two high - but they're evidence of Dartmoor's Bronze Age communities, and archaeologists have dug into several over the years. For families, it's a decent excuse for a moorland ramble rather than a destination in itself. Kids under eight might struggle to see what the fuss is about; older ones who like solving puzzles and thinking about the past will get more from it.

Allow an hour or so if you're being thorough. The site works best as part of a wider Dartmoor walk rather than an isolated trip. If you're staying at Dartmoor Domes or Langstone Manor Holiday Park - both excellent bases - this slots in nicely with exploring the broader moor. Winter visits are atmospheric but muddy. Summer is cleaner underfoot, though the moorland can feel exposed if the weather turns. Go early in the day if you want solitude.