Willmead Tor

The walk up to Willmead Tor rewards you with one of those views that makes you forget Newton Abbot exists at all. It's not a massive summit - more of a proper rocky outcrop than a proper mountain - but the moorland approach is lovely and the vista across Dartmoor genuinely stops you in your tracks.

You're looking at bracken and gorse most of the way up, which turns bronze in autumn and can be a bit scratchy underfoot when it's dry. The tor itself is granite, naturally weathered into shapes that make you wonder what Victorian hikers must have made of it all. On a clear day the perspective southwards is excellent. On a misty one, you lose the point entirely.

Walkers will get the most from this. It's not a stroll - there's proper elevation gain and the terrain can be boggy after rain - but it's entirely manageable and takes maybe two hours return if you're not dawdling. Families with young legs will find it interesting enough; small children might struggle with the distance. Photography types should come afternoon for the light.

The nearest base is Newton Abbot, though if you're staying at Oakmoor Touring Park just a few miles north, you're very well positioned for this walk. The moorland setting means proper exposure - bring a windproof even in summer. Free to visit, naturally. No fees, no facilities up there, so bring water.