Whiteshill Wood

Getting lost in Whiteshill Wood, just outside Plymouth, is exactly the point. It's a proper woodland walk where the trees do the talking - ancient oaks and beech overhead, the floor soft with decades of leaf matter, and barely another soul about even on decent weekends.

What you're doing here is straightforward: walking. There are paths that ramble through the trees, some clearer than others, and if you're the type who enjoys finding your own way rather than following a marked trail, you'll get on brilliantly. The wood has that undisturbed feel, which means it's ideal for families wanting their kids to actually experience a forest rather than a manicured park loop. Older children and serious walkers will appreciate it most - under-fives will lose interest after twenty minutes.

Allow an hour to ninety minutes depending on how deep you want to go. There's no admission charge and no visitor facilities worth mentioning, so bring water and make sure someone in your group has half decent navigation sense.

If you're staying at Dartmoor Domes nearby, this makes a solid morning activity before heading into the moor proper. It's close enough to Plymouth that you could slot it in between town errands, but it feels genuinely remote. The downside? Muddy in winter and midges can be tiresome in summer. Spring and autumn are when this place properly rewards a visit.