Heavitree Pleasure Ground

The Heavitree Pleasure Ground sits just outside Exeter, a sprawling nature reserve that's genuinely worth a morning or afternoon if you're camping or glamping in the area. It's the kind of place locals know about but tourists often miss - all open grassland, tree-lined paths, and proper walking routes that don't pretend to be anything grander than they are.

You get woodland trails winding through older trees, open spaces for just sitting about, and enough room that it never feels rammed even when it probably should. There's a lake that draws birds and the odd fisherman. The paths are well-maintained, nothing too taxing, so families with young kids won't find themselves trudging through mud complaining about sore feet.

Historically it's an old pleasure garden from the Victorian era - that vaguely tells you something about its pedigree, though it's not the sort of place with information boards at every turn. What it is now is a proper community space where people actually go to walk dogs, run, or just clear their head.

If you're staying at Devon Heaven Hideaways or Castle Brake Holiday Park nearby, this makes an easy, free outing that fills an afternoon without needing to drive into Exeter proper. Best in late spring or early autumn when the footfall's lighter. It's not dramatic scenery - don't come expecting Dartmoor-style vistas - but it's genuine, understated, and beats another lap round a holiday park.