Lake 28A

Lake 28A sits just outside Cirencester, a proper little water body that most visitors driving through Gloucestershire completely miss. It's the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think - no booming speakers, no souvenir stalls, just water and whatever birds have decided to show up that day.

You'll find it useful if you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Hoburne Cotswold or the Cirencester Park Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite and fancy a walk that doesn't involve driving anywhere. The lake itself is manageable on foot in under an hour, which means families with younger kids won't face a revolt halfway round.

It's the kind of spot where you genuinely can't predict what mood you'll be in when you arrive. Some days it's genuinely lovely - the water reflecting whatever weather Gloucestershire's throwing at you, decent views across the Cotswolds. Other times it feels a bit ordinary, like any other flooded quarry the Midlands is covered in.

Historically, there's not much to get excited about. It's a former quarry, so it doesn't have the gravitas of some Cotswold landmarks. But if you're planning a week around Cirencester and want to break up the days with something low-key and free - which it appears to be - then popping over here for a morning walk makes solid sense. Just don't expect it to be the highlight of your trip.