Exeter

Tin mining heritage runs through every weathered stone and abandoned cottage in this corner of Devon. The landscape here tells stories of industry and wilderness intertwined - where Heltor Rock and Blackingstone Rock stand sentinel over moorland that once echoed with the clatter of ore processing.

This isn't your typical Devon postcard territory. Rugged and honest, the area around Yeoford feels properly wild. Scattered ruins like the Lewdowns Cottages and various Collapsed Adit sites remind you that people once scraped a living from this unforgiving ground. The Giant's Grace Cairns mark ancient boundaries, while WW2 Latrine Foundations offer a more recent glimpse into the area's military past.

Walking here is magnificent. Hingston Rocks provides cracking views across the moor, and the network of plantations - Great Copse, Southdown Plantation, Higher Copse - offer shelter when the weather turns. It's proper rambling country, the sort of place where you can lose yourself for hours among the heather and gorse.

Yeoford station connects you to Exeter and beyond, making this surprisingly accessible despite feeling remote. The town itself sits comfortably in the Exe Valley, with the dramatic backdrop of Dartmoor rolling away to the west.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense here. Whether you choose Devon Heaven Hideaways with their hot tubs for post-hike soaking, or prefer the simplicity of Barley Meadow Touring Park, you're ideally placed to explore both the wild moor and the gentler countryside that surrounds Exeter. It's a landscape that rewards the curious - each walk reveals another slice of Devon's industrial archaeology or natural beauty.