Crapp's Wood

The name alone raises a smile, but Crapp's Wood near Plymouth is a genuinely decent pocket of woodland worth a half-day visit. It's a proper forest walk rather than a manicured tourist trap - the kind of place where you'll find yourself on narrow trails threading between mature trees, with the occasional clearing and stream to punctuate the greenery.

You're looking at a couple of hours maximum if you're doing the main loop. The paths are manageable for families with older kids, though the ground can be boggy after rain and it's muddy underfoot year-round. Walkers will appreciate the quiet - it's the sort of spot locals know but visitors often miss, sandwiched between Plymouth and Dartmoor proper. There's something satisfying about just getting lost among the oaks and beeches without crowds.

If you're staying at Dartmoor Domes just two miles away, this is an obvious complement to your park holiday. Skip the tourist overload of central Plymouth and spend a morning here instead. The woodland has that raw, slightly wild feel that makes Dartmoor special, without the endless moorland trudging.

There's no visitor centre, no car park amenities, no admission fee as far as I can tell - you just turn up. Which frankly is refreshing. It's a working landscape, not a packaged experience. Go in autumn when the light filters through properly, or after a dry spell when the paths aren't a mudbath.