West Park

West Park sits on the edge of Ilfracombe, a proper slice of Devon coastland that feels remarkably wild for being so close to town. It's a nature reserve where you can actually breathe - paths wind through mixed woodland and grassland, and if you time it right, the views down to the coast are genuinely worth the legs. The place attracts walkers more than families with small kids, mainly because there's no playground or visitor centre to anchor you. You're here for the air, the birds, and the sense of being slightly removed from the holiday park chaos.

Walking the reserve takes anywhere from forty minutes to two hours depending on which routes you fancy and how often you stop to stare at things. Most visitors come for the spring and early summer when the wildflowers are proper good and the light sits differently on the Devon hills. If you're staying at Longlands Devon or HARTA Retreat - both within easy reach - West Park works brilliantly as a morning outing before heading to the beach. The reserve is free to access, which is the only sensible approach to a nature reserve, and there are no admission fees to worry about.

The real draw here is that it's genuinely local - people from Ilfracombe use it regularly, not crowds of tourists. Bring proper walking shoes if you're doing the full circuit; the paths can get muddy even days after rain. If you're after dramatic coastal views and manicured gardens, look elsewhere. But if you want to know what the Devon countryside actually looks like away from the postcards, this is the place.