Bewsley Copse

The woods around Bewsley Copse are proper Devon - dense, a bit wild, the sort of place where you'd half expect to stumble across a smuggler's cottage or at least a very cross badger. It's a small forest patch that works best as part of a wider woodland walk rather than a destination in itself, though that's not meant as criticism. The trees here are thick enough to block out most of the sky, which makes it atmospheric on a grey afternoon and genuinely pleasant on those rare warm days when you want shelter from the sun.

Walkers will get the most from this. Families with young children might find it a bit samey after thirty minutes - there's no playground, no café, just trees and paths - but older kids who actually enjoy being in woods rather than just being physically present in them will be fine. The paths are manageable rather than challenging, which suits a casual afternoon ramble from Exeter.

It's free to access, naturally, and you can spend anywhere from forty minutes to two hours depending on how far you venture. The real value is using it as part of a longer walking circuit rather than making a special trip. If you're staying at Barley Meadow Touring Park just down the road, this is genuinely convenient - a decent stretch of legs without needing to drive anywhere. Go on a damp morning when the air smells right, and you'll understand why locals bother with it at all.