Seaton Wetlands

The Seaton Wetlands sit right on the edge of town, a sprawling expanse of reed beds and shallow water that feels genuinely wild despite being minutes from the high street. You're looking at a proper habitat restoration project - the kind of place where you actually see things rather than just walk past empty marshland. Bitterns, avocets, marsh harriers if you're lucky. The walking trails are straightforward, mostly flat, and take anything from 20 minutes to an hour depending on which loop you fancy.

Families with binoculars will have the best time here, particularly in spring and autumn when migration kicks up. Kids under eight might find it a touch slow unless they're genuinely into spotting birds - there's no playground, no ice cream van, just water and reeds and the occasional flash of something interesting. Bring decent footwear because it gets boggy.

It's free to wander, and that's part of its charm. No visitor centre nonsense, no entry fees. If you're staying at Beer Head Holiday Park just down the road, this is ideal for a morning before heading elsewhere. Oakdown, further out near Colyton, makes it slightly less convenient but still doable. The real draw is how unselfconscious it all feels - you're genuinely contributing to conservation work just by visiting, and the local trust that runs it clearly knows what they're doing. Worth the detour if you're into wildlife or need a proper walk that doesn't involve climbing anything.