Astbury Mere

The water at Astbury Mere sits perfectly still on a grey morning, ringed by trees that seem to lean in and stare at their own reflections. It's a proper working landscape - fishing lakes, really - rather than some manicured country estate attraction. You can walk the perimeter, watch for waterfowl, and if you're lucky spot herons stalking the shallows. The whole circuit takes a couple of hours without rushing, though honestly you might spend longer just sitting on the bank doing nothing much at all.

This works best for walkers and birdwatchers rather than families after a packed afternoon of activities. There's not a great deal of infrastructure - bring your own binoculars, pack a sandwich. It's the kind of place you come to because you want to be quiet and outdoors, not because there's a visitor centre with a gift shop. Free to access, and close enough to Stoke-on-Trent that you won't burn petrol getting there.

If you're camping round here - Yellowstone at Smallwood Sandbach is just under three miles away - Astbury Mere makes a gentle start to a morning before packing up. The real charm is that it hasn't been turned into anything grander than it is. You get a straightforward walk and whatever the lake decides to show you on the day.