Rift Cave

The entrance is modest - just a narrow opening in the hillside near South Brent that you could easily walk past without noticing. But Rift Cave rewards the curious. You'll squeeze through the tight passage into a chamber where the rock walls close in around you, creating that peculiar cool-cave atmosphere that makes you feel like you've genuinely gone underground. The cave itself isn't vast or showy. It's intimate, really - a proper geological quirk rather than some cathedral-like cavern. Most visits take thirty minutes or so, which is about right before the confined space starts doing your head in.

It's free, which hardly matters given how brief the visit is, but it does mean no faff with tickets. The site is managed by the Pengelley Trust, and they've kept it properly accessible. This works best for adventurous walkers and geology types who want something beyond the usual park routine. Kids who are fine with tight spaces tend to love it; younger ones or anyone claustrophobic should skip it entirely.

If you're based at Ashbourne Woods or Dornafield Dartmoor - both excellent caravan spots - Rift Cave makes a decent morning diversion before heading into Dartmoor proper. It's the sort of thing that breaks up a holiday week without demanding much time or effort. Don't expect dramatic formations or underground lakes. Just go because it's there, it's free, and you'll wonder why you've never heard of it.