Arle Grove Nature Reserve

The reserve sits just outside Cheltenham, a proper slice of Gloucestershire wetland that doesn't announce itself loudly but rewards anyone willing to look properly. Arle Grove is small - you won't need more than an hour or two to work your way round - but it's the kind of place where binoculars matter more than walking boots.

This is wetland and woodland mixed together, the sort of habitat that draws serious birdwatchers. Winter's the obvious time when migrating species show up, but spring and summer aren't quiet either. You'll see newts if you're lucky, dragonflies certainly, and the whole thing has that boggy, slightly precarious feel that reminds you nature doesn't need manicuring to be worth looking at.

Families with young kids might find it a bit underwhelming - there's no visitor centre, no café, no facilities to speak of. But if you're camping at Bourton-on-the-Water Caravan and Motorhome Club, it's close enough for a morning sortie. Takes about fifteen minutes from the site, which makes it manageable if you want to add something quieter to a weekend that might otherwise revolve around the prettier honeypot villages nearby.

Go in decent shoes - the ground gets boggy - and take your time. Nature reserves like this work best when you're not rushing.