Central Park

Central Park in Plymouth is one of those places locals know better than tourists, which is precisely why it's worth a proper visit. It's a genuine Victorian park - all tree-lined avenues, manicured lawns, and enough space to actually breathe without tripping over someone's selfie stick. You get a decent walk around the perimeter, some proper old oak and beech trees, and if you time it right during spring, the rhododendrons are absolutely cracking.

What you're doing here is essentially decompressing. There's a boating lake if the weather's decent, open gardens where you can sit and watch the world go by, and enough benches scattered about to make it proper accessible for anyone not up for serious hiking. Kids won't be clamouring to stay all day - it's not a theme park - but they'll happily feed the ducks and run about on the grass whilst you get half an hour of actual peace.

If you're based at Dartmoor Domes, Central Park is less than six miles away, making it a realistic afternoon break from moor activities. It's a solid complement to a Dartmoor stay - when you've had enough of windswept tors and serious walks, this is where you come to remember that nature doesn't always have to be dramatic. Entry's free, and there's no time limit, so turn up whenever suits you. Best visited outside school holidays unless you want to share it with half of Plymouth's youth clubs.