Whitehorse Hill

The walk up Whitehorse Hill takes about forty minutes from the car park near Okehampton, and it's properly steep in places - bring decent boots. The reward is one of those views that makes you understand why people bother with Dartmoor at all. You're standing at 2,038 feet with the whole moor spread out below, and on a clear day you can see right across to the coast.

What you're actually looking at is Bronze Age history. There's a stone circle at the summit - the Grey Wethers - which is genuinely atmospheric if you catch it right. Not as famous as some of the other circles on the moor, which means fewer tourists elbowing you out of the way. The stones themselves aren't huge, but they've got presence.

This works best for walkers with a bit of experience and families with older kids. Younger children might struggle with the climb and lose interest in standing around looking at old stones. Allow two to three hours for the round trip if you're taking it steady.

Free, obviously. No visitor centre, no café, just you and the wind and whatever weather Dartmoor decides to throw at you. It fits neatly into a wider Dartmoor National Park exploration - you could easily combine it with walks around nearby Woodland Springs Touring Park or base yourself there and do day trips. Go early morning or late afternoon for the best light and to avoid the afternoon crowds from Okehampton.