Mainstone Covert

Dense woodland blankets this hillside just outside Ilfracombe, offering proper escape from the seaside crowds. The tracks wind through mixed deciduous trees - mostly oak and ash - with brambles thick enough to scratch your legs if you stray from the main paths.

Dog walkers will love it here. The paths are well-trodden but not overly maintained, giving that proper countryside feel without the manicured nonsense of some managed woodlands. Kids might find it a bit samey after twenty minutes unless they're the type who enjoy building dens and hunting for interesting sticks.

Bring decent boots - the ground stays damp well into summer, and autumn turns the whole place into a proper mud bath. The canopy blocks most light, making it feel cooler than you'd expect even on warm days. Bird life is decent if you're into that sort of thing, though nothing spectacular.

It works well as a morning stretch-the-legs stop if you're staying at one of the holiday parks around Woolacombe or Croyde. Hidden Valley and Stowford Farm Meadows are both close enough for a quick detour. The forest doesn't demand a whole day - an hour or two is plenty unless you're planning a proper ramble through the surrounding countryside. Free parking along the lane, though spaces fill up on sunny weekends when locals come walking their spaniels.