Salcombe Regis Recreation Field

The recreation field at Salcombe Regis sits just inland from the Devon coast, a modest strip of grassland that punches above its weight if you're after a proper break from the beach madness of nearby Sidmouth. It's not dramatic - there's no cliff-edge revelation or coastal path theatre - but that's rather the point. You get open space, decent views across the valley, and the kind of peace that holiday parks like Beer Head, five miles or so down the road, won't quite deliver from their static caravans.

What you actually do here is walk. The field works best as a stopping point on a longer ramble rather than a destination in itself. Families with young kids might manage forty minutes to an hour before someone asks if there's a café. Walkers and anyone chasing quieter Devon countryside will find it's worth the diversion, especially early morning when the grass still holds dew and you've got the place to yourself.

It's free, obviously - it's a recreation field, not a ticketed attraction. Summer's the obvious choice, though autumn brings clearer skies and far fewer midges. The nearest proper facilities are back in Sidmouth itself, which is worth knowing if you're planning a half-day outing. If you're based at Beer Head or another local park, this is the sort of spot that fills a morning well, combining fresh air with the kind of gentle exertion that makes an afternoon cream tea taste properly earned.