RSPB Bowling Green Marsh

The marsh sits just outside Exeter, a proper working wetland that actually feels like you've stumbled into somewhere real rather than a polished visitor attraction. There's no grand entrance or café - it's just you, the reeds, and whatever birds have decided to show up that morning. The paths wind through the reserve with viewing areas positioned to catch sight of lapwings, snipe, and if you're lucky, rarer waders moving through in spring and autumn. Bring binoculars. Seriously, you'll regret it if you don't.

Birdwatchers will have the most obvious time here, but it's not exclusively for twitchers. Walkers after a gentle morning ramble on flat terrain will find it manageable, and there's something oddly meditative about standing still for twenty minutes waiting for movement in the reeds. Kids under ten might struggle with the patience bit, though older ones keen on nature will get properly absorbed. The site is free to access, which is refreshing when so much else charges.

Going in winter or during migration periods (March to May, August to October) gives you far better odds of seeing something interesting than high summer. Allow a couple of hours maximum - it's not vast - and go early when birds are most active. Most of the nearby holiday parks cluster within five miles, so it works perfectly as a morning activity before heading to somewhere like Dawlish Sands or Haven Devon Cliffs for the afternoon. It's the sort of place that justifies a detour if you're already in the area, though not worth plotting a route around.