Rull Copse

Walk into Rull Copse and you're immediately swallowed by proper woodland - the kind where the canopy blocks out most of the sky and the path narrows to something almost secret. It's a small forest near Honiton, the sort of place locals know about but tourists tend to miss, tucked away without fanfare or visitor centres or the usual machinery of attraction management.

What you get here is straightforward: ancient trees, quiet paths, and the chance to actually hear yourself think. There's no rushing through - a decent wander takes a couple of hours if you're not in a hurry, longer if you fancy exploring the deeper sections. The woodland floor is thick with leaf litter and moss. Bring proper boots; it gets muddy.

This works best for walkers who like their nature underdeveloped. Families with young kids might find an hour enough before boredom creeps in - it's not a playground, there are no facilities, nothing to do but walk and look. Photographers should come in autumn or early spring when the light filters through differently. It's free to access, which is the only way it should be.

If you're based at Hartridge Springs Spa Glamping or Oakdown just down the road, Rull Copse makes an easy morning or afternoon addition to your park holiday. You're not going to build a day around it, but it's genuinely worth the twenty-minute drive from Honiton if you want to remember why you came to Devon in the first place.