Shilstone Hill

The walk up Shilstone Hill from Lynton is properly steep, but the payoff is worth every burning calf muscle. This isn't some gentle stroll - it's a genuine climb that takes the best part of an hour depending on your fitness, and you'll feel it. Once you're up there though, the views across North Devon and out towards the Bristol Channel are something special. Clear days give you proper distance; cloudy ones turn the moorland moody and atmospheric in equal measure.

It's the sort of place walkers will absolutely love. Families with younger kids might find the ascent punishing, but teenagers who can handle a proper hike will get a real sense of achievement. History buffs won't find much in the way of structures up there, but the landscape itself tells the story of Devon's rolling highlands.

The whole experience - walk, summit time, descent - takes about two to three hours. There's no charge, and you can start from various points around Lynton depending on your route preference. Spring and early autumn are lovely, though the exposed summit catches wind when weather rolls in from the Atlantic.

If you're staying at Lynmouth Holiday Retreat just down the road, this makes an excellent half-day outing. Pair it with a coastal walk around the Valley of Rocks or a visit to Lynton itself for a proper day out. The hill works well as part of a wider ramble rather than a destination in itself.