Long Plantation

The trees here are properly tall. Long Plantation sits just outside Exeter and does exactly what it says on the tin - it's a serious chunk of woodland where you can actually breathe without hearing traffic noise. The canopy is thick enough that even on warm days it stays cool, and the paths are well-maintained without feeling manicured to death.

Walkers will get the most from this. There's proper scope for a couple of hours if you take it slowly, though the layout isn't complicated enough to get lost in. Families with younger kids might find an hour about right before the novelty of trees wears off - it's not a playground, just forest. Bring wellies in winter; the ground holds water.

What you're really here for is the quiet. No cafes, no visitor centre, no gift shop nonsense. Just oaks and conifers doing their thing. It's the kind of place Exeter locals use when they want to escape the city without driving forty minutes.

Pair it with a stay at one of the nearby glamping spots - Sunsets & Marshmallows or Nirvana Glamping are both within easy reach and rated brilliantly. You could easily make a day of it: morning walk through Long Plantation, lunch back at your accommodation, afternoon exploring Exeter proper. The combination works well because it stops a holiday feeling too scheduled.