Lake 5A

Lake 5A sits just outside Cirencester, a proper working gravel pit that's been left to do its own thing. What you get is a surprisingly decent stretch of water surrounded by scrubland and trees - the kind of place that feels genuinely forgotten rather than deliberately prettified.

This is walkers' territory, honestly. The lake itself doesn't have a visitor centre or any of that infrastructure. You come for the peace and the occasional flash of wildlife - cormorants, herons, the usual suspects. The banks are accessible in places, though it's not a manicured loop walk. It's rougher than that.

Who'd get something from it? Bird watchers, definitely. Anyone craving a quiet hour away from Cirencester's market town bustle. Serious walkers doing longer routes across the Cotswolds might pass through. Families with restless kids will likely find it a bit dull after fifteen minutes - there's no playground energy here.

You won't find opening hours or admission fees listed because it's informal, free access. Just turn up. Allow an hour if you're taking photographs or doing a proper mooch about. Best visited mid-week to avoid any fishing activity.

It's genuinely useful as a stop-off if you're based at Hoburne Cotswold Holiday Park nearby or any of the other caravan sites scattered around. Pop over from your campsite for a walk, then head back for dinner. Don't plan a day trip around it though - it works as part of something bigger, not as a destination in itself.