Heddon Orchard Bothy

You'll find yourself stood in front of a proper ramshackle stone bothy tucked into the Devon landscape near Ilfracombe - the sort of building that looks like it might blow over in the next strong gust, but somehow never does. This is Heddon Orchard Bothy, and it's one of those places you stumble upon rather than plan around.

The bothy itself is the draw here. It's a small, sturdy structure with genuine heritage - the kind of shelter that would have housed farm workers back in the day. The stone walls are weathered to a soft grey, and there's something rather moving about seeing how people actually lived and worked on these North Devon holdings. You can't get inside it, mind you, but that hardly matters. The character is all in the exterior and the story it tells.

This works best if you're already out on a walk in the area. It's not a destination in itself - don't bother making a special trip from Ilfracombe just for this. But if you're staying at Lynmouth Holiday Retreat nearby and you're exploring the local footpaths, it's genuinely worth a detour. You'll add twenty minutes to a walk, snap some photographs, and move on. History buffs and rural heritage types will appreciate the authenticity. Kids will find it interesting for about five minutes, then want to carry on.

Free to see, obviously - it's just sat there in the landscape. No visitor facilities, no interpretation boards. Just you and a bit of Devon history.