Heathercombe North

The path into Heathercombe North is proper boggy, especially after rain, and there's no avoiding mud on your boots. It's a small nature reserve just outside Exeter, the kind of place locals know about but tourists tend to miss, and frankly that's part of its charm.

What you get is heathland the way it used to look across Devon before everything got ploughed or built on. The reserve is home to heather (obviously), gorse, and if you're lucky in summer, you'll spot adders sunbathing on the drier bits. It's not dramatic or vast - you could walk the whole thing in ninety minutes without hurrying - but there's something satisfying about that. You're not queuing or fighting for views.

Family groups will find it accessible enough, though small children might struggle with the terrain, and keen birdwatchers actually make the trip worthwhile. The spring migration can be lively. Walkers who want something between a casual stroll and a proper hike should time it for late May or June when the heather's in flower and the whole place turns purple.

It works well as a half-day stop if you're based near Dartmoor National Park, just five miles away. The reserve has that raw, unmanicured feel that Dartmoor itself delivers on a larger scale, so if you're already exploring the moor, this is worth a detour for something smaller and quieter. Free access, no facilities to speak of, and that's rather the point.