Spinsters' Rock

Three granite slabs standing in a field near Exeter - that's Spinsters' Rock, and it's genuinely puzzling. Bronze Age burial chamber or medieval joke? Nobody quite knows, which is half the appeal. The stones are substantial enough to stop you in your tracks, arranged upright with a capstone balanced on top, the kind of thing you'd walk straight past if someone hadn't told you it was there. Locals reckon three women stacked it in a single night as a wager. Archaeologists are less sure.

For history obsessives, it's worth the short drive from Exeter to have a proper look. The mystery is more interesting than the facts, frankly. You'll spend ten minutes here maximum, which means it works best as a stop-off rather than a destination in itself. There's no visitor centre, no interpretation boards, no car park - just the stones and whatever questions you bring. Families with young kids might find it underwhelming; walkers on a larger ramble will appreciate the tangible connection to something genuinely ancient.

If you're staying at Woodland Springs or Barley Meadow, both just minutes away, this slots neatly into an afternoon exploring East Devon's archaeology without eating up much time. Go when the light's decent - these stones photograph better in low sun. The site's free and accessible whenever you fancy it, which means you can be flexible with your timing.