Lake 15

Lake 15 sits on the edge of Cirencester, a proper working gravel extraction lake that's morphed into something rather useful for the local community. It's the sort of place you stumble upon and think, well, that's nicer than I expected. The water catches the light in that particular Cotswolds way - grey-green one moment, almost silver the next depending on what the sky's doing.

It's primarily a fishing lake, which means anglers get first claim on the best spots, but there's decent walking around the perimeter if you've got an hour to spare. The paths are manageable without being taxing, and you'll spot waterfowl pottering about depending on the season. Families with younger children might find it a bit limited - there's no facilities to speak of and you're mostly just walking and watching, which loses appeal after thirty minutes for under-tens.

Walkers heading out from Cirencester itself will find this a reasonable warm-up loop rather than a destination in itself. It works well as a morning stroll before heading into town proper or combining it with a lap of Cirencester Park, which is proper Cotswolds parkland done right. If you're staying at Hoburne Cotswold Holiday Park just down the road, it's practically on your doorstep - worth a wander if you fancy breaking up the day without venturing far.

Free to access, no facilities, no fuss. Go early or late afternoon when it's quieter and you'll actually hear yourself think.