Washfield Wood

The woodland around Washfield, just outside Tiverton, is proper Devon - dense green, a bit boggy underfoot, and wonderfully quiet. It's not a manicured country estate walk; it's the real thing. You'll find yourself on narrower paths where the canopy closes in properly, with moss-covered branches and the occasional stream trickling through.There's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of, which is either brilliant or a nuisance depending on your mood. It means fewer people and no crowds, but also no map kiosk when you inevitably second-guess which fork in the path to take. Phone signal is patchy. The woodland works best as a two-hour ramble rather than a full day out - it's rewarding but not vast.Families with kids aged six and up will get something from it; younger ones might find the soggy patches more frustrating than fun. Walkers and photographers will genuinely enjoy the light filtering through the trees, especially on overcast autumn days when everything's dripping.If you're staying at Nirvana Glamping nearby, this makes a solid morning walk before heading back for lunch. Don't expect dramatic viewpoints or dramatic anything, really. What you get is the proper experience of a working Devon woodland - and sometimes that's exactly what you need.