Spitchwick

The River Avon cuts through Spitchwick like it's got somewhere to be, tumbling over rocks and sliding past banks thick with woodland. This nature reserve near South Brent is the sort of place you stumble upon rather than plan for - which is precisely why it works. There's no grand visitor centre or entrance fee nonsense, just proper Devon countryside where the water does the talking.

Walkers get the most from Spitchwick. The terrain's manageable but not boring - you're picking your way along paths that follow the river closely, crossing small bridges, spotting the odd dipper if you're lucky. The woodland canopy is thick enough that even on a warm day you'll feel the cool air rising off the water. A couple of hours is about right before you've seen what there is to see, though lingering by the river with a flask is never time wasted.

It's an excellent tack-on to a Dartmoor holiday. You're only five miles from the national park itself, so this works well as a morning outing before heading onto the moor proper, or as a gentler afternoon if the weather turns rough. Ashbourne Woods is similarly close if you want more woodland walks without the river element. The real draw here is the water itself - it's clean, it's active, and it feels genuinely wild despite being so accessible from South Brent. Not everyone's idea of a destination, but if you like rivers and trees more than attractions and queues, you'll find it worth the detour.