Exmoor Distillery

The Exmoor Distillery sits just outside Tiverton, which makes it a decent stop if you're touring the area rather than a destination in itself. They make gin and other spirits here, and the operation feels genuinely small-scale - not the sort of place that's been dressed up for tourists, though tourists are welcome enough.

You get to see how they actually make the stuff, which is more interesting than you'd think if you're into that sort of thing. The tasting room is where you'll spend most of your time, trying whatever they've got on. Whether the spirit itself appeals depends entirely on your palate, but the staff know what they're doing and won't push you into buying something you don't want.

It's worth a couple of hours if you're staying nearby - Nirvana Glamping is only five miles away, so you could easily slot this in before or after a day walking on Exmoor proper. Don't expect a grand visitor centre or a restaurant though. This is a working distillery, not a theme park.

The local gin has a proper moorland character to it - heather and juniper, that sort of thing - which feels right for the area. Whether you'll want a bottle to take home is another matter, but having a go at the tasting bit costs nothing much and gives you a genuine sense of what they're doing here. If you're passing through Tiverton anyway, it's worth the detour.