Greenwood Fishery

Greenwood Fishery is a working fishing lake just outside Northwich, the sort of place where you'll find serious anglers setting up before dawn and families mucking about with nets on a Sunday afternoon. It's not a theme park or a manicured attraction - this is genuine, low-key Cheshire countryside where the main point is actually catching fish, or at least trying to.

The lake itself is decent sized, surrounded by trees and fairly peaceful once you get past the car park. If you're not fishing, it's still worth a visit for a walk round the perimeter and a bit of people-watching - there's something oddly satisfying about watching someone's float bob about for two hours. Kids can usually have a go at fishing with a simple rod if parents bring their own kit or rent on site, though patience is required in abundance.

Anglers will want to know this place properly - membership tends to be the way in, and you'll need to sort permissions before you turn up with your tackle. Bring a packed lunch and you could easily spend half a day here. It's the sort of spot that works brilliantly as a break between the nearby holiday parks like Pickmere Leisure Park or Lady Heyes, giving you an actual reason to leave the caravan for a couple of hours without driving miles.

The fishing community here is genuine rather than commercial, which means it's calm and unfussy - but also means facilities are basic. Check ahead on access details before you visit.