Go Ape Haldon

The canopy walk at Go Ape Haldon is genuinely thrilling - you're swinging between trees, crossing rope bridges, and dropping down zip lines while the Devon landscape spreads out below. It's less "genteel woodland stroll" and more "prove you're not afraid of heights." The course sits on Haldon Hill just outside Exeter, and the views across to Dartmoor on a clear day make the adrenaline rush feel properly earned.

This is absolutely geared toward families with kids aged 10 and up, though there are gentler routes if younger children are tagging along. Expect to spend two to three hours on the course - it's not a quick tick-box experience. Most people come in the school holidays or weekends, so go midweek if crowds annoy you.

It's paid admission (book ahead online to avoid queuing), and while entrance isn't cheap, the value sits fair once you're actually up there navigating the obstacles. Adults without kids get just as much out of it, though you'll feel a bit self-conscious if you're the only one whooping your way across a footbridge.

For a longer break, it pairs well with nearby parks like Devon Heaven Hideaways - that glamping spot's only 2.7 miles away, so you could do Go Ape in the afternoon and return to a hot tub. Cofton Holidays is slightly further but offers more traditional caravan-park facilities if that's your style. The location means you're also close enough to Exeter's centre for other bits and pieces, but Go Ape itself is the main draw.