Burghill and Tillington Cricket Club

The cricket club's grounds sit on what was once proper wetland, and locals have worked hard to restore patches of it back to something resembling what used to be there. It's not a formal nature reserve with visitor centres or marked trails - more a working cricket pitch with conservation happening quietly around the edges. You'll find it a few miles north of Hereford, just outside Burghill village.

What you're really after here is the birdwatching and the chance to spot water voles if you know where to look. Spring and early summer are when it gets interesting, with migrant warblers passing through and breeding pairs setting up shop. The site's been improving steadily over the past decade, and it shows - more scrub, better reed beds, less manicured grass than your average village cricket ground.

This isn't a destination in itself. Honest assessment: you'd spend perhaps an hour here if you're into birds or dragonflies, less if you're just after a casual walk. But it slots nicely into a wider Herefordshire trip, especially if you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Preston Campsite just up the road is well-regarded, and Byecross Farm is brilliant if you want something more spacious. The area's proper for cycling routes and riverside walks along the Wye, so the cricket club works as a specific stop rather than the main event. Get there early morning for the best light and the most active wildlife.