Clatworthy Reservoir

The water here is remarkably still on a calm day - almost too perfect, reflecting the wooded hills that rise steeply from the bank. Clatworthy Reservoir sits about nine miles south of Taunton, tucked into the Quantocks, and it's the sort of place where you half-expect someone to call out from across the water that you're trespassing, except you're not. It's genuinely open to the public, though don't expect crowds or facilities.

What you get is a straightforward walk around the perimeter or along the dam, with decent views into Wales on clear days. The water supply aspect is obvious - this isn't a leisure destination dressed up as nature - but that's rather honest. The walk takes two to three hours if you do the full circuit, manageable for reasonably fit families though the terrain is uneven in patches. Kids will enjoy spotting the occasional fisherman and following the bank, though there's nothing interactive or entertainment-focused about it.

Historians might mildly appreciate that this is post-war infrastructure, opened in 1949, but this isn't a site heavy on story. What makes it worth a detour from Taunton isn't grandeur but quietness. The Quantock foothills feel properly remote, and the reservoir sits almost apologetically in the landscape.

If you're based at Waterrow Touring Park just a few miles away, it's absolutely worth combining with a morning or afternoon visit. Don't expect facilities here though - bring what you need. Time it for clear weather; on a grey day it's just a grey expanse.