Braunton Memorial Gardens

The path into Braunton Memorial Gardens winds through coastal scrub before opening up to views that make the walk worthwhile. It's a modest nature reserve tucked between Ilfracombe and the North Devon coast, the kind of place locals know about but visitors often miss entirely.

What you're actually looking at is a stretch of maritime grassland and heathland - rare habitat around these parts. The appeal here isn't dramatic cliffs or manicured gardens despite the name. It's the wildflowers in spring and early summer, the birds working the scrub, and the sense of walking somewhere that feels properly wild rather than managed to within an inch of its life. Bring binoculars if you're into that sort of thing.

The memorial bit refers to land acquired and maintained as a nature reserve - worth knowing if you're the type who likes understanding what you're walking through. Allow an hour for a proper mooch around. It's not a five-minute stop.

Historians and serious birders get the most from this. Families with young kids might find it a bit ordinary - there's no visitor centre, no obvious trails marked out, no play areas. It works best as an add-on to a day exploring Ilfracombe's seafront rather than a destination in itself.

Stay at either Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park or Golden Sands nearby and you're well-positioned for coastal walks in the area. The gardens slot nicely into a morning, then head down to the beach properly. Best visited when there's something flowering or migrating - ask locally when you arrive.