Markadon Wood

The woodland floor at Markadon Wood is thick with moss and the kind of quiet that makes you remember why you came to Cornwall in the first place. It's a proper forest walk just inland from Bideford, the sort of place where the trees do most of the talking and you're happy to listen. The paths meander through mixed woodland - mostly oak and beech - and there's enough variation in the terrain to keep things interesting without being punishing.

Walkers will find this genuinely worthwhile. The routes aren't signposted to death, which means you'll need a bit of navigation sense, but that's part of the appeal. It's the kind of place where you can easily spend two hours wandering without feeling like you've paid for the privilege of walking in a grid. Kids who are into exploring - making dens, spotting birds, that sort of thing - will get more out of it than those after a quick tourist tick-box.

Timing-wise, go early on a weekend or head out midweek if you can. The whole experience depends on not bumping into throngs of other visitors. Weather matters here too; after rain the paths can be proper boggy in patches. Summer's lovely but autumn is when the light gets really good through the canopy.

Stay at Coastal Cabins Glamping just 1.2 miles away and you've got a cracking base. Roeys Retreat Campsite and Atlantic Horizons are within easy reach too. It fits well into a broader Bideford exploration - close enough for a morning visit, leaving your afternoons free for the coast.