Eastdon Woods

Walk into Eastdon Woods and you're immediately aware of how quiet it gets. Ancient trees block out most of the sky, and the ground beneath your feet shifts between leaf litter and proper woodland paths - the kind where roots catch you out if you're not paying attention.

This is proper Devon woodland, dense enough that you can lose the sound of nearby Dawlish fairly quickly. The trees are old, gnarled in places, and there's a real sense of just being left alone in the forest. No manicured gardens here, no visitor centre cafés. It's the sort of place you come to walk, breathe, and clear your head rather than tick off an Instagram spot.

For families with younger kids, be honest with yourself - you'll get a decent woodland wander out of it, maybe an hour if they're enthusiastic, but there's no playground, no obvious picnic area, no manufactured attractions. Older children and adults who actually like walking will get more from it. If you're after serious forest bathing, it's worth the detour from Dawlish.

Lying just a few miles from both Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park and the slightly better-rated Haven - Devon Cliffs Resort, Eastdon Woods works well as a morning or afternoon break during a coastal holiday. You won't need to book anything, and parking appears to be straightforward, though I'd check locally for current access arrangements. The real value here is space, quiet, and being surrounded by something that feels genuinely wild for Devon.