Cranbrook Country Park

Cranbrook Country Park sits just outside Exeter, a proper working landscape where you'll find woodland walks, open grassland, and the kind of countryside that feels genuinely lived-in rather than manicured. This isn't a theme park or a manicured country estate - it's a working farm mixed with nature reserve, so you get real farming alongside wildlife habitat.

What you're actually doing here is walking. There are several routes depending on your energy levels, ranging from gentle loops around the perimeter to longer treks through mixed woodland. The paths are generally well-maintained and pushchair-friendly on the main routes, though they can get muddy in winter. You'll spot woodland birds, hopefully some deer if you're quiet enough, and the views across the valley are genuinely worth stopping for.

Families with younger kids will manage an hour or so comfortably. Keen walkers could spend half a day here if they tackle the longer routes. It's the sort of place that rewards a slow pace - spotting wildlife rather than rushing through.

If you're staying at Cuckoo Down Farm Glamping or Castle Brake Holiday Park nearby, this works well as a morning walk before lunch. Free access and no time limits makes it low-pressure. The best time is spring or early summer when the woodland floor is alive and birdsong is constant. Late afternoon light through the trees is lovely too.

Not a destination in itself, but a proper addition to a Devon park holiday - somewhere to burn off energy without feeling like you're ticking a box.