The Buckland Brewers

You'll need to ring ahead to visit this working brewery just outside Totnes - it's appointment only, which means you get proper attention rather than shuffling round with coach parties. The Buckland Brewers operation is small and genuine, the kind of place where you actually see what's happening rather than watching through windows at a theme park version of brewing.

What you get is a tour of the kit and process, usually followed by a tasting of their beers. It's hands-on and informal, and the staff know what they're talking about without being pretentious about it. If you're into craft beer or just fancy understanding how the whole thing actually works, this beats most of the bigger operations by miles. The location between Totnes and the coast makes it a natural stop if you're doing a Devon brewery crawl.

Families with teenagers interested in the subject will get more out of it than young kids - there's not much to occupy under-tens for an hour. History enthusiasts might appreciate that Devon's brewing heritage goes back centuries, though this is contemporary stuff rather than heritage tourism.

Allow a couple of hours including tasting. It's free or a modest charge depending on what they're offering when you book. Hit it up mid-week for a quieter experience. If you're camping nearby at Ramslade or Whitehill, it's barely a detour, and pairs nicely with exploring Totnes itself - markets, independent shops, all that.