hand:plant

There's a giant hand reaching out of the ground on the cliffs near Ilfracombe, and yes, it's exactly as odd as it sounds. Hand:Plant is a public art installation that's become something of a talking point along the Devon coast - you'll either find it brilliant or baffling, depending on your tolerance for surreal seaside sculpture.

The hand itself is enormous, planted vertically into the earth as if someone's been buried up to their wrist. It's the sort of thing that stops you mid-walk and makes you stare for a bit longer than you'd expect. Worth the detour if you're already rambling the clifftop paths around Ilfracombe, less so if you're making a special trip just for it.

You can walk up and have a look around for free - there's no visitor centre or entry fee to worry about. Most people spend fifteen minutes taking photos and reading whatever's carved into the plinth, then carry on. It works best as part of a longer coastal walk rather than a destination in itself.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Hele Valley or Golden Coast, it's a reasonable walk or short drive. The North Devon coastline's got plenty of proper walking trails, so slot this in alongside them rather than treating it as the main event. Kids find it funny for about five minutes; adults are more likely to hang about wondering what the artist was thinking.