Harford Bridge Park

The River Tavy cuts through Harford Bridge Park with real purpose, and this nature reserve just outside Tavistock feels properly wild in places - which is exactly why it works. You're not getting tidy flower beds here. Instead there's woodland threading along the water, riverside paths that actually go somewhere, and the kind of moss-covered boulders that suggest the place hasn't been fiddled with much.

It's the sort of spot where walkers actually spend time rather than tick off five minutes and move on. The paths vary - some dead easy along the flat by the water, others climbing up through the trees with a bit of grunt to them. Spring brings bluebells, and honestly the whole thing feels fresher and less worn than some of the honeypot walks you get further downstream.

Walkers will get the most from this. Families with younger kids might find the paths a touch muddy and uneven after rain, but older children who don't mind a bit of scrambling will be fine. It's free to wander, with no obvious gatehouse or admission fee, which speaks volumes about how low-key the operation is.

Given its proximity to Tavistock, it links well with the holiday parks nearby - Langstone Manor and Woodovis are both within easy reach, as is Lydford if you're basing yourself there. It's one of those reserves that rewards a proper hour or two rather than a quick circuit. Worth building into a morning if you're staying locally.