North Melbury Plantation

A stand of mature woodland just outside Bideford that's easy to overlook but well worth a wander if you're camping nearby. North Melbury Plantation isn't some manicured attraction - it's genuine old-growth forest, the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think. The trees are substantial, the paths are firm underfoot, and there's proper shade even on warmer days.

It's ideal for families with kids old enough to handle a woodland walk without constant hand-holding, and serious walkers passing through the area will find it a decent leg-stretcher. You won't spend hours here - more like 45 minutes to an hour - but that's precisely the point. It breaks up a holiday nicely between beach days and campsite downtime.

Access appears to be free and unrestricted, though there's no visitor infrastructure to speak of. Go early if you want solitude, or any time really since it never feels crowded. The woodland floor is soft with years of needles and leaf litter, which is lovely on the knees but means paths can get muddy after rain.

If you're staying at Broad Park Camping and Glamping or Roeys Retreat Campsite, this is genuinely handy - close enough for a quick morning ramble before breakfast, far enough away to feel like you've properly escaped the campsite. Not a showstopper, but the sort of real place that makes a camping trip feel less theme-park and more actual.