Jews Wood

The woodland floor at Jews Wood is a proper spongy carpet of moss and leaf litter, which honestly makes the whole walk feel softer underfoot than it has any right to. It's a small forest just outside Plymouth, and the reason you'd come here is straightforward - old-growth woodland where the trees actually have some size to them, and you can lose the car park noise within about fifty metres.

There are paths through it, though they're not manicured tourist routes. More like the sort of tracks locals have worn by wandering through for years. The canopy does that thing where it filters the light into something almost green, and on a grey Devon day that can feel properly atmospheric rather than damp and miserable. You'll spot ferns doing their thing on the forest floor, and if you're lucky enough to visit in late spring, the whole place smells of growth and soil.

It's decent for a walk of maybe an hour without pushing it. Kids who like looking for sticks and climbing fallen logs will have fun. Anyone expecting dramatic views or visitor facilities will be disappointed - there's no cafe, no interpretation boards, just woodland. A bit of peace, essentially.

If you're based at Hidden Hill Devon - that luxury glamping spot five and a half miles away with the hot tubs - Jews Wood makes a nice morning amble before heading back for coffee. It won't dominate your day, but it's the sort of place that reminds you why people bothered to keep forests in the first place.