Chinnor Quarry 2B

A flooded chalk quarry south of High Wycombe, Chinnor Quarry 2B has become an unexpected oasis for walkers and nature spotters. The water's surprisingly clear, and on a decent day the ripples catch the light in a way that makes you forget you're essentially standing in an old industrial hole. It's the sort of place that feels a bit wild - no visitor centre, no facilities, just water and the chalk cliff faces rising around it.

You can walk the perimeter in about forty minutes at a leisurely pace. The path gets muddy after rain, which is worth knowing, and there's a decent climb to the top of the quarry rim if you fancy the view back across the Chilterns. Birdwatchers find it worthwhile - cormorants and grebes are regulars, and the place attracts dragonflies in summer. Families with restless kids might find thirty minutes is their limit; walkers and photographers will happily spend longer.

There's no admission fee as far as I can tell, and no official opening hours - access is straightforward. If you're based at Home Farm Camping or Bella Vista, both within a couple of miles, this makes a solid morning walk without straying far from camp. It's not going to blow your mind, but it's exactly the sort of quiet, slightly windswept spot that reminds you why you came to Buckinghamshire in the first place. Go when the light's low - early morning or late afternoon - and it's genuinely rather atmospheric.