Lewdowns Cottages (Ruins)

Crumbling stone walls and tumbled foundations are all that remain of Lewdowns Cottages, a cluster of dwellings that once housed rural Devon families. What you'll find is essentially archaeology in the open air - no visitor centre, no interpretation boards, just the quiet remnants of domestic life scattered across moorland a few miles east of Exeter.

It's the kind of place that works best for walkers with a genuine interest in social history rather than those after obvious photo opportunities. You can pick through the ruins and imagine the lives lived here - the cottage layouts are still legible if you know what you're looking for, and the surrounding landscape hasn't changed drastically in centuries. Bring an ordnance survey map or download one beforehand; signage is minimal.

Allow an hour if you're thorough, less if you're just passing. There's no admission charge because there's no infrastructure to maintain - it's free to visit, though you'll need to navigate via footpaths from nearby lanes. Spring and early autumn are best when the moor isn't waterlogged and visibility is decent.

If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby touring parks - Barley Meadow is your closest option at just over five miles away - this makes a solid half-day excursion between longer woodland walks. It won't thrill everyone, but if you enjoy reading the landscape and spotting medieval field patterns, it's genuinely worthwhile. Just go in with realistic expectations about what "ruins" actually means here.