Sourton Tors

The granite stack at Sourton Tors rises abruptly from Dartmoor's open moorland just north of Okehampton, and it's properly dramatic - dark rock splitting the horizon like something from a Victorian painting. You're looking at maybe 150 metres of weathered granite outcrop, the sort of place where the wind cuts straight across the plateau and the view opens out toward Meldon Reservoir on clear days.

Walking up takes about twenty minutes from the car park, and it's straightforward moorland terrain rather than technical scrambling. The rock itself is accessible enough if you fancy scrambling around the tors themselves, though there's nothing vertigo-inducing. On a decent day, this is genuinely fine - the moorland feels vast and empty in a way that clears your head properly.

Historically minded visitors will want to know that this is Bronze Age country. The area's scattered with barrows and settlements; Sourton Tors itself was likely significant to ancient communities, though don't expect interpretation boards. It's more about the landscape speaking for itself.

It's free, obviously - it's on Dartmoor - and you can base yourself at either Lydford Caravan & Camping Park three miles off or the more characterful Wolf Wood Treehouses for something with actual views. Allow an hour or two total, longer if you're walking the wider moorland circuits. Don't bother if you need facilities or shelter; bring waterproofs. Worth the detour if you're exploring Dartmoor's northern edge, less essential if you're just passing through Okehampton.