Devon is a scenic coastal and rural county in South West England with historic towns, national parks, and popular seaside resorts, accessible by rail and bus.
Lambert's Castle is an Iron Age hillfort in Dorset, open to the public as open access land and designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Visitors can explore steep natural slopes, historic earthworks, and enjoy views from Lambert's Castle Hill, with nearby parking available.
Bayard's Cove Fort is a 16th-century artillery blockhouse located at the entrance of Dartmouth harbour in Devon. It features historic military architecture with multiple gunports and is managed by English Heritage, open to the public for exploration of its significant coastal defence heritage.
12 Sep–21 Oct (another 12 days)
An outdoor exhibition presents shortlisted photography and film exploring nature, people, places and environments, including the impacts of and adaptations to climate change. The exhibition takes place throughout the garden at Coleton Fishacre.
Dartmouth is a historic town in Devon, England, known for its medieval streetscapes, maritime heritage, and riverside setting. It offers cultural festivals, historic castles, and walking trails along the scenic River Dart.
Penhallam Manor is a historic medieval fortified manor house site in Cornwall featuring exposed foundations and moats. Visitors can explore the ruins and surrounding outdoor area managed by English Heritage, reflecting an important Norman to medieval heritage site.
Drake Circus Shopping Centre is a large covered shopping mall in the centre of Plymouth, England, featuring 66 stores across three floors, with ample parking and convenient central location.
Plymbridge Woods is a National Trust managed woodland in Devon featuring historic Plymbridge bridge, walking and cycling trails including the Drake's Trail, diverse wildlife, and recreational activities such as orienteering and mountain biking. It is open year-round and free to visit.
23 May–1 Nov (another 23 days)
A display at Saltram brings together two companion portraits by Joshua Reynolds and explores the story of ‘Jersey’, an enslaved boy depicted in one of them. Visitors can encounter historical research and conservation insights through audio, scent and touch.
Sandymouth Beach in Cornwall is a long sandy beach with cliffs, rock formations, and strong surf, popular for surfing and managed by the National Trust. The site offers a café, toilets, and seasonal lifeguard patrols, appealing to beachgoers and surfers.
The Wellington Monument is a 175-foot tall triangular obelisk located on the Blackdown Hills near Wellington, Somerset. It commemorates the Duke of Wellington's victory at the Battle of Waterloo and offers an outdoor historic landmark experience with an internal viewing platform. Owned and maintained by the National Trust, the monument was restored and reopened in 2021.
The Yarn Market in Dunster, Somerset, is a historic Grade I listed octagonal building from the early 17th century, originally built to support the local wool and cloth trade, featuring a unique central pier with timber roofing and marked by Civil War history.
10 Oct, 17 Oct…
A guided tour takes visitors through Dunster Castle’s Victorian kitchen and larders, with stories about the cooks, maids and other staff who worked there.
Cadson Bury is an outdoor Iron Age hillfort near Callington, Cornwall, featuring a large oval enclosure with curved ramparts and ditches, owned by the National Trust and accessible to the public.
Burrow Mump is a historic hill in Somerset featuring the ruins of a 15th-century church atop a Norman motte, offering visitors panoramic views and a significant war memorial managed by the National Trust.
Trethevy Quoit is a well-preserved Neolithic dolmen located in Cornwall, England. It features large standing stones capped by a massive slab and is accessible to the public for free. The site is managed by Cornwall Heritage Trust and is part of the region's rich ancient heritage.
Grimspound is a late Bronze Age prehistoric settlement located on Dartmoor in Devon, England, featuring 24 stone hut circles enclosed by a massive granite wall. Visitors can explore the extensive outdoor archaeological site surrounded by natural Dartmoor scenery, gaining insights into ancient settlement structures and early human activity in the region.
Baggy Point is a scenic headland on the north coast of Devon, England, featuring walking and cycling trails, diverse wildlife including seals and birds, and geological and botanical significance as a protected area within the North Devon Coast AONB.
King Doniert's Stone is an outdoor historic site featuring two granite cross-shaft fragments from the 9th century with intricate interlace decoration, an ancient inscription commemorating a Cornish king, and an underground rock-cut chamber possibly related to ancient mining or worship. The site is freely accessible with parking and open during daylight hours on Bodmin Moor near St Cleer.
Dupath Well, near Callington in Cornwall, is a Grade I listed historic well-house built in 1510 over a natural spring, featuring distinctive granite architecture and medieval religious significance. Visitors can explore the well-house and its ancient water trough in a scenic outdoor setting.
Loughwood Meeting House is a historic Baptist chapel near Dalwood, Devon, dating back to the 17th century. It is notable for its thatched stone construction, early Baptist origins, and its designation as a Grade II* listed building managed by the National Trust, with limited regular worship use.
Hound Tor is a granite rock formation on Dartmoor in Devon featuring weathered granite outcrops, ruins of a medieval village, and nearby prehistoric remains, offering an outdoor experience popular for rock climbing and cultural history.
Blackbury Camp is an Iron Age hill fort in Devon featuring large earthwork ramparts and an oval enclosure, situated within a scenic natural area. Visitors can explore the outdoor archaeological site and enjoy views of the surrounding valleys.
Watersmeet House is a National Trust property in Devon featuring a historic fishing lodge with a tea room and shop, nestled at a river gorge confluence and serving as a gateway to extensive woodland and riverside walks. The site includes a notable area of ancient oak woodland designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Kirkham House is a late medieval stone house in Paignton, Devon, featuring original oak beams, medieval-style furnishings, and a historic interior open to visitors at certain times of the year.
Paignton is a historic seaside town in Devon on the English Riviera known for its beaches, Victorian architecture, cultural events, and heritage railways, offering family-friendly tourism and coastal walking experiences.
Lydford Castle is a medieval castle in Devon, England, historically significant as an early purpose-built prison and a centre for forest and stannary law enforcement. Visitors can explore the castle ruins managed by English Heritage and the adjacent Anglo-Saxon earthworks owned by the National Trust, reflecting law, order, and medieval authority in the region.
2 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Visitors use the Stranger Folk app to follow a folklore-themed adventure around Lydford Gorge, guided by the Crone and taking on a mission to seal a rift between the spirit and human worlds. The app also shares facts about local folklore along the waterfall trail.
Hawker's Hut is a small historic timber hut near Morwenstow, Cornwall, built by poet Robert Stephen Hawker and offering coastal views. It is maintained by the National Trust and accessible by foot along a coastal path.
The River Heddon in Devon offers scenic outdoor experiences with coastal river views, natural walks along the National Trust land, a cobbled beach, and historical ruins including a Roman fortlet and a lime kiln, making it a well-rounded nature and heritage destination.
The Butter Cross in Dunster is a historic 15th-century market cross, a Grade II* listed building and scheduled ancient monument, managed by English Heritage and the National Trust, offering visitors a glimpse into medieval market traditions in Somerset.
Gallox Bridge is a 15th century narrow stone packhorse bridge in Dunster, Somerset, crossing the River Avill. It is a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument, managed by English Heritage, and notable for its historic architecture and rural setting near Dunster Castle.
8–9 Oct, 15–16 Oct…
A guided tour takes visitors through Dunster Castle’s Victorian kitchen and larders, exploring the work and stories of the cooks, maids and other staff who kept the castle running.
St Catherine's Castle is a 16th-century Henrician coastal fortification in Cornwall, England, overlooking the mouth of the River Fowey. Originally built to defend against invasion, it features a distinctive D-shaped stone blockhouse and historic gun platforms, and is now a preserved ruin managed by English Heritage for visitors to explore its historic military architecture and coastal views.
Princesshay is a modern shopping centre in Exeter featuring over 60 stores, cafes, and restaurants, with a notable attraction of medieval underground passages offering guided tours. It combines retail and historical interest in an indoor setting.
The Hurlers is a group of three prehistoric stone circles located on Bodmin Moor near Minions in Cornwall. Visitors can explore these ancient outdoor monuments along with nearby standing stones called the Pipers, managed by the Cornwall Heritage Trust and recognized as a Scheduled Monument.
Fyne Court is a National Trust nature reserve and visitor centre in Somerset, featuring historic estate grounds with woodland, ponds, meadows, and remnants of a 19th-century country house. Visitors can explore outdoor natural habitats as well as indoor visitor facilities including a café and shop.
6 Oct, 13 Oct…
Toddler Tuesdays is a term-time session for under-fives and their carers, with nature play, stories, crafts and gentle walks.