Ice Pond

You'll find Ice Pond sitting quietly on the outskirts of Knutsford, a modest body of water that's far more pleasant than its utilitarian name suggests. It's the sort of place locals know about and visitors stumble upon by accident - which is rather the point. The water is fringed with trees and there's a walking path that lets you circuit the whole thing in about twenty minutes without breaking a sweat.

It works best for a gentle morning stroll or an afternoon breather between other activities. Families with young kids will get bored after an hour unless they're the type to spend ages spotting ducks and fishing for sticklebacks. For walkers, it's a useful leg-stretcher if you're based at Royal Vale or Greenfields nearby - both cracking spots, incidentally. Birdwatchers might find it worth a quiet visit at dawn when things are less busy.

There's no entrance fee and no facilities to speak of, so come prepared. Best in spring and early summer when the water's busy with life and the banks aren't waterlogged. Winter can be dreary - the whole place turns grey and muddy, which is fine if you like that sort of thing.

Honestly? It's not worth travelling specially for, but if you're spending a week in the area, pop by. It's the sort of small, unpretentious spot that makes a caravan holiday feel properly local rather than touristy.