Tavy Cleave Tors

Getting up to Tavy Cleave Tors from Okehampton feels like proper work, but the payoff's genuine. You're looking at a couple of granite tors rising up on Dartmoor, not some dramatic peak but honest moorland terrain that rewards the effort. The walk itself takes around two hours return depending on fitness - it's moorland underfoot so boots matter more than you'd think.

This isn't a destination for the faint-hearted or anyone expecting a coffee shop at the top. What you get instead is views across Dartmoor that stretch for miles on a clear day, and the chance to feel like you've earned your afternoon. The tors themselves are scramble-friendly for anyone with a head for heights, though kids will need supervision. On misty days the whole thing becomes atmospheric rather than spectacular, which some find more interesting than others.

Historically it's classic Dartmoor granite landscape - Bronze Age burial sites scattered about if you know where to look. Summer's the obvious choice for visibility, but autumn up here is special if you don't mind the weather being moody. Winter's a serious undertaking.

If you're staying at Lydford Caravan & Camping Park, barely three miles away, this makes a cracking full day out combined with exploring the wider moor. Langstone Manor's a bit further but still reasonable as a base. Neither drive is punishing. Just don't expect genteel tourism - this is Dartmoor doing what it does best, untamed and honest.