Mules Park

You won't find crowds at Mules Park, which is precisely why you should go. This Devon nature reserve sits just outside Dawlish and makes for a proper walk if you're staying at any of the nearby holiday parks - Lady's Mile, Golden Sands, or Leadstone Camping are all within spitting distance. The reserve is the sort of place that rewards slow wandering rather than ticking boxes. You're looking at woodland trails, rough grassland, and the kind of quiet corners where you might actually spot something worth photographing instead of just scrolling past.

It's ideal for walkers, genuinely. The trails meander through scrubland and you get a real sense of what unspoilt Devon looks like when nobody's slapped a gift shop on it. Families with kids who enjoy exploring will find enough here for a couple of hours - there's no great drama to it, no epic viewpoint, just steady paths and natural life going about its business.

Admission appears to be free, which is a bonus. Go in late afternoon when the light's decent and the day-trippers have cleared off. Spring and early summer are when it really comes alive - the birdsong alone makes it worthwhile. If you're based at one of the local holiday parks and the weather's turned temperamental, this is the kind of place that still delivers. Not spectacular, but genuinely restorative.