Gun Battery

Clambering over the grassed ramparts of Gun Battery takes you back to a time when invasion fears gripped Devon's coast. This Victorian defensive fortification sits above Paignton with views that sweep across Torbay - the sort of panorama that made it tactically essential and, frankly, makes it worth the visit today.

What you're walking around are the remains of an artillery gun emplacement, the kind of thing the Victorians threw up along the south coast when they were convinced the French might pop over uninvited. The earthworks are substantial enough to keep you occupied for a good hour, poking about the gun positions and tracing the old fort's layout. It's free and open access, which means you can visit whenever you fancy without worrying about opening times.

History buffs will find themselves absorbed in the tactical thinking on display - the sightlines, the overlapping fields of fire, the whole business of 19th-century coastal defence. Families with older kids who aren't bored stiff by anything historical will get something out of it; little ones might find it a bit of a non-starter, to be honest. Walkers use it as a natural stopping point on coastal rambles.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Beverley Holidays or South Bay are closest to town - Gun Battery works as a morning outing before heading down to Paignton's beaches. It's close enough not to eat up your day, elevated enough to break the monotony of flat seaside strolls, and the views alone justify the detour.