The Ampitheatre

The Roman amphitheatre sits on the outskirts of Plymouth, a proper reminder that this corner of Devon saw some serious military action nearly two thousand years ago. What you're looking at are the earthwork remains - grassed-over banks that once held timber seating for thousands of soldiers watching gladiatorial combat or military demonstrations. It's not dramatic in the way you might expect. There's no stone, no towering walls. But stand in the centre and you can actually picture the scene: the noise, the dust, the roar of spectators pressing down from those banks.

History enthusiasts will find it genuinely interesting - the fact that the Romans built this tells you Plymouth was far more important militarily than most people realise today. Families with older kids who can manage the (admittedly thin) backstory will get something from it; younger ones will find it a bit abstract - just grass, after all.

The site is free to access and takes about thirty minutes to walk around properly, longer if you're photographing or sitting with a coffee and thinking about what stood here. Early morning or late afternoon works well, when the light's better and you're not battling school groups.

If you're staying at Dartmoor Domes just down the road, this makes an easy morning sortie before heading onto the moor itself. It's the kind of stop that rounds out a day rather than making a day on its own - worth an hour, worth the drive if you're in the area, but don't plan a whole afternoon around it.