Peoples Park

A proper nature reserve just outside Exeter where you can actually spot something interesting without needing binoculars the size of wine bottles. Peoples Park is a working space rather than a polished tourist attraction - think native woodland, ponds, and scrubby bits that most places would tidy up but shouldn't. The paths wind through genuine habitat, and if you time it right you'll see woodpeckers, newts, and the odd fox picking its way between the trees.

It's brilliant for families who want their kids to run about without constant supervision, and birdwatchers get proper value here. Allow an hour minimum, longer if you're the type to sit and watch a pond for twenty minutes. The nearest town is Exeter, which means you're not miles from civilisation if anyone needs the loo halfway through.

If you're stopping in the area - say, at Sunsets & Marshmallows Glamping five miles away - Peoples Park makes a solid morning outing before heading elsewhere. It's free, which removes the guilt if you turn out to hate it. The catch is knowing when to visit: wet season gets muddy, summer can feel a bit dormant. Spring and early autumn work best. This isn't a destination in itself, but as part of an Exeter-based break it fills a gap nicely and does something most nature reserves manage these days - feels like actual nature rather than nature arranged for Instagram.