Knightshayes Court

The Victorian mansion sits on a hillside above Tiverton with proper views across the Devon countryside - and the gardens are genuinely what makes it worth the trip. You get a rambling country house with period rooms that feel lived-in rather than roped-off, but honestly, most visitors spend their time outside wandering through woodland paths lined with rhododendrons and through the formal areas with their topiary and quiet corners.

It's not a place to rush through. Allow a solid three hours minimum, longer if you're into horticulture. The walled garden rewards poking about, and there's enough going on that families with older kids won't feel cheated, though under-fives might lose interest once they've had a run around the lawns.

The house itself tells you something about Victorian taste - not overly formal, more a showcase of collected bits and botanical obsessions. The drawing rooms are pleasant rather than jaw-dropping, so don't expect Downton Abbey levels of grandeur.

If you're staying at Nirvana Glamping just up the road, this pairs nicely with a morning at Tiverton itself or a longer walk round the grounds before heading back. The gardens change seasonally - spring is obvious with the rhododendrons, but autumn colours through the trees are worth catching too. Check opening before you go, as hours aren't fixed year-round.