Holyford Woods

Slip into Holyford Woods and you're immediately wrapped in the kind of Devon woodland that feels like it's been left to its own devices. Ancient trees, proper mossy banks, and paths that wind through what used to matter to people round here - there's history in the soil, even if the plaques have faded. The River Holyford threads through it all, which gives the whole place a reason to exist beyond just being a nice walk.

It's excellent for anyone who wants woodland without the tourist infrastructure. Families with school-age kids will get a solid hour or two here, mucking about by the river and spotting the occasional heron. Dog walkers absolutely love it. If you're staying at Beer Head Holiday Park or Oakdown up the road, this is the sort of place you'd slip into on a weekday morning when everyone else is queuing at the seafront in Seaton.

The woodland is free to access, and there's no faffing about with car parks or visitor centres - just turn up and walk. You're looking at a couple of hours maximum if you do a proper loop, though the paths can be boggy depending on the season. Spring is lovely here, when the light filters through fresh growth. Winter's muddy but moody. The woods aren't dramatic or Instagram-famous, but that's rather the point. It's proper woodland, not a theme park version of one.