Buttspill Wood

The name alone stops people dead - Buttspill Wood, near Tavistock, is one of those places you have to visit just to say you've been there. It's a proper Dartmoor forest, all ancient oaks and dense undergrowth, the kind of place where you can actually lose yourself for an afternoon without trying too hard.

There's no visitor centre or café, which is either brilliant or annoying depending on your mood. You just turn up and walk. The woodland itself is atmospheric - dappled light through high canopy, moss-covered logs, the whole thing feels genuinely untouched. It's the sort of forest that makes kids go quiet, which some parents find a relief and others find eerie. Walkers will get two or three good hours here without pushing it, following the various trails that wind through the wood.

Families with young children might find it a bit heavy going - the paths aren't manicured, and there's not much in the way of facilities. But if you're camping or glamping at Sunnyside Eco Glamping four miles away, it's a cracking half-day add-on, especially if you're after something less touristy than the standard Dartmoor attractions.

Go on a dry day. Really. Muddy woodland paths in the rain aren't anyone's idea of fun, and you'll spend more time watching your feet than enjoying the forest. Spring and autumn are genuinely lovely - fewer midges, better light.