Warrenhouse Plantation

The trees here are thick enough that you lose the sky within a few steps. Warrenhouse Plantation, just outside Callington, is proper woodland - the kind where you can actually hear yourself think rather than a car engine. It's a working forest, so don't expect theme-park paths or benches; this is where locals come to walk dogs and stretch their legs without fuss.

What you get is straightforward. Forestry Commission land planted densely with conifers creates that cool, quiet atmosphere even on warm days. The ground's soft underfoot, trails wind through without much gradient, and there's genuine solitude here - no postcards, no visitor centre, just you and the trees. Kids won't get bored if they're the type who enjoy spotting wildlife or collecting pine cones, but it's not a destination that'll hold attention for more than an hour or so.

It's free to walk around, which is the main draw. Allow anything from thirty minutes to two hours depending on how far you fancy going. Come when it's not been raining heavily - it gets boggy. Spring's pleasant when the forest floor's drying out.

If you're based at Sunnyside Eco Glamping or Lydcott Glamping nearby, this works as a morning walk before heading elsewhere. It's convenient rather than spectacular, but sometimes a quiet woodland ramble is exactly what you need when you've got young ones restless at the caravan. Proper reset for a day out exploring further afield.