Dawlish Water - Forestry England.

The water meadows at Dawlish are the kind of place you stumble upon and wonder why you haven't been before. Managed by Forestry England, this woodland and waterside walk sits right on the edge of town - close enough to pop into for an hour, far enough in that you genuinely feel you've escaped.

What you get is a proper stretch along the Dawlish Water itself, with broadleaf woodland either side and footpaths that meander without fussing about it. The stream runs clear and cold, banks lined with ferns and moss-covered stones. In spring the whole thing erupts with bluebells. Birdlife is decent too - you'll spot herons if you're patient, and the usual woodland suspects. No visitor centre, no cafe, no faffing about. Just trees, water, and peace.

For families with young walkers this is ideal territory. The paths are well-maintained and you can make a loop of whatever length suits you - forty minutes if you're keen to get moving, or a lazy couple of hours if you're stopping to turn over rocks and look for fish. History types won't find much to chew on, but anyone after a genuine breath of air will be content.

It's free, naturally. Head there early on a Saturday morning and you'll have the place nearly to yourself. The holiday parks clustered around Dawlish - Lady's Mile, Leadstone, Golden Sands among them - are ideally placed if you want to base yourself nearby. A morning walk here, then down to Dawlish seafront for fish and chips makes for a proper Devon day.