Chenson Farm

While walking through Halsdon Nature Reserve (half an hour’s drive), on the banks of the River Torridge, keep your eyes peeled for woodpeckers and kingfishers, plus the occasional otter. Continue on to RHS Garden Rosemoor (a further 15 minutes) for splendid themed areas that include an exotic garden and an arboretum. Spreading around a spectacular Gothic cathedral, Exeter (35 minutes) is home to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, which occupies a distinctive Victorian stone building and displays local archeological artefacts, plus textiles and decorative arts. Crossed by the River Exe, Riverside Valley Park is a top spot for a picnic. The market town of Tiverton (35 minutes) has a 12th-century castle with a collection of English Civil War-era armour and weapons. Nearby, on the River Exe, is St Peter’s Church, the earliest parts of which date from the 1070s. On the outskirts of town, National Trust - Knightshayes Court is a Gothic Revival mansion with a walled garden and expansive parkland.