Sonny Copse Tor

The climb up Sonny Copse Tor near Newton Abbot isn't long, but it's proper steep in places - the sort of walk where you're breathing hard and your legs remind you they exist. The tor itself is modest by Dartmoor standards, but that's rather the point. You get genuine views across Devon farmland without the crowds you'd encounter at the more famous peaks, and the whole thing takes maybe forty minutes from the car park.

It's ideal for walkers who want a quick hit of moorland without committing to a full day's hiking. Families with reasonably fit kids will manage it fine, though younger ones might grumble on the steeper bits. The summit gives you proper 360-degree vistas - rolling countryside, distant tors, and on a clear day the kind of light that makes you understand why people move to Devon.

If you're staying at Oakmoor Touring Park nearby, this makes a cracking afternoon stop. It's close enough that you're not burning half your day getting there, but far enough away to feel like you've properly escaped the campsite routine. Free, obviously - it's moorland. Go mid-week if you can, or early morning at weekends, because word's getting out and the car park does fill up. The exposed position means weather changes fast, so pack a layer even if it looks settled.