Great Wood

The woodland around Great Wood, just inland from Bideford, is proper old-growth forest - towering oaks and beeches that make you feel genuinely small. You won't find visitor facilities or formal paths here; it's the kind of place you wander through on foot, letting the trees dictate where you go. The undergrowth is thick in summer, which means muddy boots are non-negotiable, but that's part of the appeal.

Walkers get the most from Great Wood. If you're after a serious trek rather than a stroll, this delivers - the terrain shifts constantly and there's enough woodland to lose an hour or two without hitting the same spot twice. Families with younger kids might find it a bit featureless unless they're into den-building and general mucking about in nature. There's no dramatic vista at the end, no waterfall, no folly - just trees, air, and quiet.

It works well as a morning excursion if you're based at somewhere like Owl Valley Glamping nearby. Combine it with a proper lunch in Bideford itself, which has actual character and decent cafes along the quay. Great Wood is free to access and you can spend as little as half an hour or stretch it to a full morning depending on your mood. Go when the ground isn't waterlogged - autumn and early spring are cracking times. Summer can be suffocating under the canopy if the weather's warm.