Eastdown Copse

Walk into Eastdown Copse and you're swallowed by proper woodland - the sort where light filters through in dusty shafts and the floor squelches underfoot even weeks after rain. It's a genuine forest rather than a manicured park, which means the paths are real rather than Disney-fied, and the trees feel like they don't care much whether you're there or not.

The copse sits near Tiverton, making it a solid half-day add-on if you're based at one of the local glamping spots like Nirvana. Most people come for a straightforward walk - nothing technical, just woodland rambling through mixed broadleaf forest. You'll spot bluebells in spring if you time it right, and it's dark enough in summer to actually feel cool on a hot day.

This isn't a destination attraction. There's no visitor centre, no coffee van, no marked viewpoint. You come, you walk, you leave. That's the appeal for some - proper quiet. For others it might feel a bit thin. If your kids expect a playground or a gift shop, they'll find this dull pretty fast. But if you're the sort who enjoys just being among trees without agenda, Eastdown delivers that in spades.

Allow an hour or two depending on how far you fancy going. No admission fee as far as I can tell - just turn up. Winter's actually good here since the canopy opens up enough to see where you're going, and it's less buggy than summer.