Lower Norton Wood

The woods around Totnes aren't famous, which is rather the point. Lower Norton Wood sits quietly on the Devon landscape, a proper working forest that feels nothing like a manicured country estate. Walk in here and you're surrounded by dense canopy, the kind of place where the light gets filtered through layers of green and everything smells damp and alive.

It's a straightforward proposition: woodland trails that meander through mixed trees, some mature, some younger plantation. The forest floor squelches underfoot even in dry spells. There's a stream that cuts through, and the whole thing has that real, untended quality that makes it genuinely peaceful. Not Instagram-worthy. Just quiet.

Walkers will appreciate this far more than casual strollers. You need to give yourself at least ninety minutes to make it worthwhile, and proper boots help. Families with small children might find it bit dull after half an hour - there's no café, no playground, no facilities to speak of. But if you've got kids who can handle uneven ground and don't need constant entertainment, they'll likely enjoy splashing in the stream.

Since it's free and open access, come whenever suits you. Early morning is nicest, before the day gets warm. If you're staying at Start Bay Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite six miles away, this works perfectly as a morning walk before heading into Totnes for lunch. The drive's fifteen minutes, so it fits easily into a park holiday routine.