Seven Stones

There's a Bronze Age stone circle just inland from Budleigh Salterton that most visitors to Devon completely miss. Seven Stones sits in farmland near the village of Otterton, and frankly, it takes some effort to find - no signage, no visitor centre, just seven weathered stones arranged in a circle that's been here roughly 3,500 years. You walk through fields to reach it, which means proper boots and asking permission first, but that's part of the charm. There's no interpretation board telling you what to think, no car park, no ice cream van. Just you and Bronze Age people's decision to drag these rocks to this exact spot and arrange them this way.

It's genuinely moving if you like archaeology, though I'll be honest - it takes imagination. The stones aren't massive or dramatic. What gets you is the age and the mystery of why they did it at all. Kids under ten will probably be bored within minutes unless they're keen on ancient stuff. Walkers heading out from Budleigh Salterton will find it a decent detour on a longer ramble, and it connects well to the nearby coastal paths.

Stay at Ladram Bay Holiday Park, just 1.8 miles away, and you've got the beach on your doorstep plus this slice of prehistory inland. Oakdown and Castle Brake are also close if Ladram's full. Visit off-season when the farming calendar allows access - summer can be tricky. Bring a detailed map; sat nav won't save you here.