Hollyford Copse

Walk into Hollyford Copse and you're immediately swallowed by proper ancient woodland - the kind where light filters through in dusty columns and the ground squelches underfoot even on dry days. It's a small forest near Crediton, nothing vast, but dense enough that you lose sight of the outside world within minutes.

The trees are old, gnarled things. Mostly oak and beech, with enough moss on the trunks to suggest no one's been mucking about with it for decades. There are footpaths through - nothing official-looking, but well-trodden enough to follow. You'll find yourself in the right sort of quiet that makes you actually think about something other than your phone.

Walkers will appreciate it most. It's the kind of place to spend an hour, maybe longer if you sit about and listen to the birds. Kids can run around burning off energy without you losing sight of them entirely, though it's not designed as a playground. History enthusiasts might enjoy simply being in an old English wood - not many places feel unchanged the way this one does.

There's no visitor centre, no facilities that I can find, and admission appears free - just turn up and go in. Early morning or late afternoon light through the canopy is genuinely lovely. If you're staying at Yeatheridge Farm Caravan Park nearby, it's worth a morning walk before breakfast. Don't expect manicured trails or benches. Expect trees, quiet, and the smell of damp earth.