Porsham Wood

The path into Porsham Wood dips steeply through Devon woodland, and within ten minutes you've forgotten Plymouth entirely. This is proper forest - oak and beech mostly, with the kind of damp leaf-mould smell that makes you remember why you came southwest in the first place.

It's not a manicured country estate walk. Roots catch your boots, branches low in places, and the canopy so thick that midday feels like dusk. That's rather the point. Walkers and families with decent-aged kids will find it genuinely rewarding - there's enough going on underfoot to keep things interesting for an hour or so, and it's close enough to Plymouth that you won't waste half a day getting there.

The woodland genuinely shifts mood depending on season. Spring's messy and dripping. Autumn's something else entirely - the floor carpeted gold and bronze, visibility proper poor in the mist. Summer can feel a bit airless and damp.

There's no visitor centre, no cafe, no interpretation boards - just trees and paths. That's either exactly what you want or a reason to go elsewhere. Allow ninety minutes to two hours depending on pace and how many times you stop to pretend you know what birds are making that racket.

If you're staying at Dartmoor Domes nearby, it's a straightforward detour. Not a destination in itself, but a proper walk that doesn't rely on views or history to justify itself.