Duckpond

The water's proper still when you arrive early, mirror-like and ringed with reeds that whisper in the breeze. Duckpond, just outside Carlisle, is exactly what it sounds like - a modest lake where mallards and coots potter about while you stand on the bank and watch the light change across the surface. It's not dramatic or Instagram-ready. There are no facilities to speak of, no café, no visitor centre. What you get instead is quiet.

Walkers love it. The footpaths around the perimeter take thirty minutes if you're ambling, fifteen if you've got somewhere to be. Families with younger children do well here too - there's something magnetic about ducks for kids, and the flat terrain means even small legs won't complain. Birdwatchers find it worthwhile, especially in winter when visiting species turn up.

The real appeal is that it sits perfectly between the two excellent holiday parks in the area. High Hall Farm Campsite and Drybeck Farm are both five-star spots, and Duckpond works as a gentle morning walk before breakfast or an evening stroll when the light turns golden. It's the sort of place that doesn't photograph well but feels restorative when you're actually there. Expect to spend an hour maximum, though locals will tell you it's worth visiting across different seasons - the water reflects everything differently depending on the weather.

Free to visit, obviously. No cars allowed right to the edge, which keeps the place peaceful.