Smeatharpe Stadium

A modest football ground on the edge of Honiton that punches above its weight in the local sports calendar. Smeatharpe Stadium is home to Smeatharpe United FC, a proper community club that's been turning out match days for decades. The ground itself is unpretentious - terracing, a small stand, the sort of place where you can actually hear the manager's instructions and the crowd's banter carries across the pitch.

It's the kind of venue that appeals to anyone wanting to see genuine grassroots football rather than the Premier League circus. Local supporters, families after a Saturday afternoon out, visiting supporters making the pilgrimage - they all get a real flavour of how football used to be watched in England. The atmosphere on match days is friendly and inclusive, the sort where regulars will chat to newcomers and explain the club's history.

You won't need more than two hours for a match, and admission is usually affordable for non-league football. Check the club's details before heading over to confirm match schedules and any entry fees. It's the sort of detour that makes sense if you're already in the Honiton area rather than a destination in itself.

If you're staying at Hartridge Springs Spa Glamping just 2.3 miles away, it's a genuine local experience to add to a park holiday. Holly Bush Caravan Park sits 4.6 miles out, so both make decent bases if you're keen on watching Sunday or Saturday league football without the corporate feel.