Berry Head Southern Fort

The twin gun emplacements at Berry Head command the Devon coastline like a pair of watchful sentries. Built during the Napoleonic Wars, this Southern Fort sits on a dramatic headland above Brixham, and walking the perimeter feels properly atmospheric - you're treading ground where soldiers once scanned the horizon for French invasion fleets that never came.

What you get is a fairly compact site with concrete gun positions, earthwork ramparts, and enough space to wander for thirty minutes to an hour. The views across Torbay are genuinely stunning, and on a clear day you can see right along the coast. Families with younger kids might find it brief - there's not a huge amount to do once you've worked out what the fortifications were for - but older children interested in military history will want to explore the gun positions properly.

It's free to visit and open year-round, though you'll want to check conditions after heavy rain as the paths can get boggy. Spring and autumn are lovely times, when the headland grasses are at their best and you won't be melting in August crowds. The site sits just outside Brixham, making it an easy add-on to a longer coastal walk or a base-camp outing from South Bay Holiday Park or Waterside Holiday Park, both within a couple of miles. If you're doing the Torbay coast properly, combine it with walks towards Fishcombe Cove - the whole stretch is cracking.