Church Wood

Walk into Church Wood and you're under ancient oaks within minutes of Paignton's seafront chaos - the contrast is striking. This woodland sits on the outskirts of town and offers proper forest trails rather than manicured park paths. The canopy's thick enough that even on hot days the temperature drops noticeably, and the light filters through in that particular way that makes you understand why people actually want to spend time in forests.

It's a straightforward woodland walk, nothing elaborate. You'll find natural trails threading between the trees, spots where you can sit and listen to birdsong, the kind of place where kids can actually run about without supervision worrying you too much. The wood isn't massive - you're not talking an all-day hike - so it works well as a morning or afternoon addition to a seaside break rather than a destination in itself.

For families staying at South Bay Holiday Park, it's close enough to pop over without much planning. The ground can get muddy after rain, so decent shoes matter. There's no visitor centre or facilities inside, which is either refreshingly straightforward or slightly disappointing depending on your perspective. Walkers heading out from Paignton will find it a gentle warm-up before tackling the longer coastal paths nearby. History types won't find much to sink their teeth into - it's not ancient woodland with interpretive boards - just good, honest trees doing what trees do. Go mid-week in spring or early autumn when the light's best and you'll have the place nearly to yourself.