Picnic spots you can enjoy

There are plenty of picnic spots to soak up the scenery around Devon and on Exmoor. Pack a hamper and enjoy a sunny day outside with friends and family surround by sea views, wooded walks and sandy beaches. Don't forget to take your rubbish with you when you've finished to help keep these places special.

Smiling older man with picnic basket
A la Ronde   Devon

Summer walks with a picnic spot

Summer is almost here and there are lots of things in the house and garden for families to enjoy. Take a relaxing walk around our wild flower meadow, a place full of flora and fauna, then relax with a picnic in our orchard.

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Deckchairs in Greenway garden

Picnic with a view 

Spread out your picnic blanket at the holiday home of Agatha Christie. Greenway’s romantic woodland garden drifts down the hillside to the banks of the river Dart, where the Battery is a peaceful spot for a picnic. You could even risk a sandwich or two by the boathouse, which features in Dead Man’s Folly.

Picnic here
The River Teign with sunlight streaming through the trees

Castle Drogo 

Castle Drogo offers lots of spots for a picnic – the café offers picnic packs or bring your own! Find a spot in the garden whilst it’s in full bloom, or take a walk down the Teign Valley and tuck in next to the bubbling River Teign, admiring bluebells and ancient trees.

Choose a castle picnic
National Trust working holiday Exmoor Lynmouth
Heddon Valley   Devon

Best picnic spots in North Devon

Pack a picnic and enjoy our top spots from across North Devon.

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A shady spot with a perfect view
Overbeck's   Devon

Take some time out in a shady spot

Tuck yourself away in a shady spot to relax

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Rugged coastline at Hoist Point, Ringmore and Kingston
South Milton Sands   Devon

Ringmore and Kingston Walks

A gentle walk awaits you with amazing views, beautiful valleys and great rock formations. For something more challenging take the Hoist Point walk and climb to see the South Devon coast from its highest point.

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View towards Seaton from Musbury Hill Fort
Shute Barton   Devon

Musbury Hill Fort

Situated above the beautiful village of Musbury, this impressive Iron Age fort offers stunning views of the rural beauty of the Axe valley and out towards Shute Barton.

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Family enjoying a summer picnic
Knightshayes   Devon

Top spots at Knightshayes for a stroll and a picnic

Find out some fantastic spots around Knightshayes that are perfect for a summer stroll, followed by a delicious picnic.

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A bench among the roses in the rose garden at Compton Castle
Compton Castle   Devon

Things to see and do in Compton Castle garden

Explore the rose garden, take a seat in the orchard, discover the medieval style knot garden and soak up some sunshine on the sunny lawns in Compton Castle's garden.

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View across Peppercombe and Portledge
Bideford Bay and Hartland   Devon

Peppercombe Valley

Far away from the crowds, in a magical world known only to a select few, the Peppercombe valley is rich in wildlife and our secret.

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Find a picnic spot for an al fresco lunch at Killerton, Devon
Killerton   Devon

Top five places for a picnic

Feel the grass between your toes or find shade under a canopy of trees. There's plenty of perfect places for an al fresco feast at Killerton, here's five of our favourites.

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The summerhouse, Finch Foundry, Devon
Finch Foundry   Devon

The peace and quiet of the cottage garden

A small and compact cottage garden - a perfect spot to relax and unwind.

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Family picnic on the grass
Lydford Gorge   Devon

Summer picnics and wildlife at the gorge

Enhance a beautiful summer walk with a picnic in one of our favourite spots.

Plan a picnic
Visitors and dogs at the Whitelady Waterfall at Lydford Gorge

Lydford Gorge, Devon 

You can picnic in the orchard or woods, and there are tea-rooms nearby too. You can top off your day with tasty treats such as homemade cakes and ice creams, and the children can enjoy the play area. After your picnic, why not finish with an exhilarating walk to see the 30m Whitelady Waterfall and the bubbling Devil’s Cauldron?

Find out more about Lydford Gorge
The spring flowers bloom along the coast path near Soar Mill Cove
East Soar   Devon

Soar Mill Cove, Devon

Follow the coast path down to the golden sands at Soar Mill Cove near Salcombe in the South Hams for a secluded picnic on the South Devon coast. Only reached by foot or boat, this is a sheltered, peaceful beach away from the crowds. Look out for rock samphire, sea beet and rare rock sea-lavender on the lower cliffs.

Get away from it all
The view over Somerset from above Nether Stowey on the Coleridge Way
Coleridge Cottage   Somerset

Coleridge nature walk, Somerset

Feel fresh air in your lungs and wander through the landscape that inspired Romantic poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth

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The colourful top garden border in the garden at Greenway, Devon
Greenway   Devon

Greenway garden ramble

A one mile walk around Greenway garden is a great way to discover the Top Garden and the breathtaking views over the River Dart you can enjoy from there.

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Visit the National Trust's Fyne Court, Somerset

Fyne Court picnic spot 

Picnic in the courtyard, by the dipping pond or set up a den and picnic in our natural play spots.

Picnic at Fyne Court
A National Trust ranger van parked at Man Sand beach
Walking trail

Coastal circular walk from Woodhuish 

A circular walk from Woodhuish Farm to Man Sands beach and back via the South West Coast Path takes in a wetland area perfect for bird watching. It's a great winter walk, taking in rugged coastline, a secluded beach and even a Victorian cider press.

Find out more about this circular walk
Visitors walking in the garden in Autumn at Dunster Castle
Dunster Castle   Somerset

The gardens at Dunster Castle

Home to four different micro-climates the garden at Dunster is home to a diverse range of plants and wildlife with far-reaching views across the Bristol Channel.

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Dunkery Beacon on the Holnicote Estate, Somerset
Bossington   Somerset

Our top five must see places at Holnicote

Whether you're looking for coastal views, wide open moorland or tranquil wooded walks, Holnicote has something beautiful to offer. Take a look at our top five places to explore and use it to create your own itinerary.

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An old oak tree at Woodlands Hill, Quantock Hills, Somerset
Fyne Court   Somerset

Woodland Hill circular walk, Somerset

Take a step back in time and look for signs of our ancestors in this mysterious woodland. Disappear into the mixed woodland and climb high onto protected heathland with fantastic views.

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The view from the top of Ebbor Gorge in Somerset
Brean Down   North Somerset

Hidden gems in Somerset

Some of your favourite Somerset places are hiding a big secret.

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