Dartmoor 

Dartmoor holds southern England’s greatest expanse of remote and remarkably rugged wilderness, the Dartmoor National Park.

Dartmoor is an adventure walkers dream through the rolling mists and prehistoric ruins, though the extreme landscape and weather lends itself to feeling somewhat spooky and desolate at times.

The villages scattered through the great park offer varied goodness. Tiny Postbridge, Princetown and Lydford are great stop offs along the way, Okehamton is a good base, while Moretonhampstead, Tavisstock and Windecombe-in-the-Moor a worth spending some more time.

• Villages in Dartmoor have an endearing sense of time stood still. The Ministry of Defence owns much of north Dartmoor and uses it as a firing range; make sure you check local notices about firing days!