Calf Hey Reservoir

The water sits dark and still between the moorland slopes, a proper surprise if you're driving through the hills above Bury. Calf Hey Reservoir isn't the kind of place that gets crowded or even heavily signed - you'll need to know where you're going, which is part of its appeal.

It's a working reservoir, so there's no swimming or messing about, but the walk around the edges is straightforward and gives you views across the Pennines that shift depending on the weather. On a clear day you can see for miles. On a grey one, which is most days, it feels moody and atmospheric. The reservoir draws walkers rather than families with small children - there's not much to do once you've walked round it, and the paths can be muddy and a bit rough underfoot.

Allow 45 minutes to an hour if you want a decent circuit. It's free, obviously. The best time is late morning before the wind picks up, which it usually does by afternoon on these hills.

If you're based at Dearden Wood or Rossendale Holiday Cottages nearby, it works as a half-morning stop during a bigger walking day rather than a destination in itself. Worth combining with a proper fell walk or a visit to one of the nearby market towns. Real moorland, proper wild, but not dramatic - just good solid Lancashire landscape.