Combeshead Tor

The walk up Combeshead Tor rewards you properly - a granite outcrop that commands the moor with genuine authority. From Plymouth, you're looking at a straightforward drive onto Dartmoor, and once you're parked up nearby, the climb itself takes maybe thirty minutes depending on fitness and how many times you stop to catch your breath.

It's not a technical scramble, just a steady leg-burner through rough moorland. The tor itself is modest in height but feels far grander once you're standing on the rocks looking out across the Devon countryside. Visibility matters here - on a clear day you can see for miles, but if the moor's cloaked in drizzle (which happens more often than the brochures admit) you'll struggle to justify the effort.

Walkers will appreciate it far more than anyone else. It's not a destination for the casual stroller, and children would need proper boots and genuine interest in reaching a summit - bored kids make for a miserable ascent. History buffs might note you're out on proper moorland, though there's nothing in the way of ruins or ancient sites immediately visible.

If you're staying at Langstone Manor or Dartmoor Domes - both excellent bases about five miles away - Combeshead Tor makes for a solid morning walk without demanding a full day. It's free, obviously, and you'll encounter fewer crowds here than some of the bigger Dartmoor draws. Allow two hours total if you want to sit about and enjoy the view. Worth the drive if you're already on the moor.