Peacock Meadow Park

The meadow rolls out in front of you properly alive with wildflowers come summer - ragged robin, marsh marigold, the lot. Peacock Meadow Park sits just outside Plymouth and feels genuinely removed from the city bustle, which is saying something. It's a working nature reserve rather than a manicured park, so don't expect manicured lawns or playground equipment. What you get instead is habitat - wet grassland that actually matters to wildlife, managed by people who care about the ecology rather than the Instagram angle.

Walkers will find it worthwhile, especially birdwatchers. The wetland draws waders and wildfowl, and the meadow itself supports butterflies if you time it right. Spring and early summer are the money seasons - the flowers go mad and everything's actively breeding. You can potter about for a couple of hours easily enough, though it's not a sprawling destination that'll eat up your whole day.

This is more of a local knowledge spot than a ticketed attraction. Free access, no visitor centre to speak of, just the space itself. It works brilliantly as part of a Devon break, especially if you're camping at Hidden Hill Devon - the luxury glamping site just down the road - and fancy something that isn't about consumption. Grab a pair of binoculars and a wildflower guide, leave the family for a quiet morning walk. The peace is the whole point.