Royal Hill

The walk up Royal Hill rewards you with proper views across Dartmoor and beyond - on a clear day you can see right down the valley towards Tavistock. It's not a long slog, though the final stretch does get a bit steep, especially underfoot when it's been wet. Most people manage it in under an hour from the car park, which makes it ideal if you're staying nearby and don't want to commit to a full day's rambling.

This is walker territory, frankly. Families with young kids might find the climb tedious unless they're keen types, and it's not the sort of place you go for facilities - bring water and proper boots. The moorland itself is fairly open, so on blustery days it can feel exposed. But that's rather the point: you're up on the edge of Dartmoor proper, and the sense of space is genuinely striking.

If you're based at Langstone Manor or camping somewhere on Dartmoor National Park, Royal Hill works as a morning excursion before heading into Tavistock for lunch. The proximity to Tavistock makes it convenient without feeling like a tourist trap. Worth the walk if you like that sort of thing, but don't expect dramatic peaks or the kind of viewpoint that takes your breath away - it's more about the moorland itself and having somewhere to stand above it all.