Pigsmoor Wood

The woodland paths at Pigsmoor Wood near Crediton are proper quiet - the sort of place where you actually hear birdsong instead of your own footsteps echoing back at you. It's a manageable walk through mature mixed woodland, the kind Devon does well when it's not overrun with tourists. You get dappled light through oak and beech, the occasional glimpse of the moorland beyond, and it's flat enough that you won't regret it halfway through.

Walkers will get the most from this one. The trails wind through without being signposted to death, which means you need a bit of local knowledge or a decent map - not a bad thing, honestly. It's the sort of forest that appeals to people who actually like forests rather than people looking for a gift shop and a café. Parents with younger kids might find an hour plenty; older children who enjoy spotting wildlife and exploring proper woodland will happily spend two or three.

Free to access, no visitors' centre, no facilities that I'm aware of - just park sensibly near the entrance and go. The best time is autumn when the ground cover really shows itself, though spring brings bluebells if you know where to look. If you're staying at Yeatheridge Farm Caravan Park just outside Crediton, this makes a solid morning or early afternoon outing before heading back for lunch. It's not flashy, but it does what it says on the tin.