Camelford

The moorland around Camelford sprawls across some of Cornwall's least spoilt terrain, where the River Camel winds through gorse and heather. This is proper walking country - the sort of place where you can lose sight of civilisation within twenty minutes and genuinely feel like you've stumbled onto something untouched.

What you're really here for is the river itself and the network of paths threading through the valley. The Camel Trail runs through here too, a converted railway line that's flat enough for families but interesting enough that adults won't feel like they're herding children around. Depending on the season you'll see buzzards, the occasional adder if you're lucky, and wildflowers that make the moorland proper technicolour in late spring.

It's not a managed visitor attraction with facilities - there's no café, no visitor centre, no entrance fee. That's rather the point. You turn up, park near Bodmin (the nearest town with amenities), and walk. Allow anything from an hour's gentle potter to a full afternoon depending on your mood. Families with younger kids should stick to the Camel Trail proper; serious hikers will want to venture onto the open moorland where the ground gets boggy and the views stretch for miles.

If you're basing yourself at Rosebud Farm or Camp De Lank, this is an excellent way to burn energy without driving far. The moorland doesn't get busy even in summer. Go early if you want solitude, though honestly you'll probably find it whatever time you arrive.