Luxhay Reservoir

The water here is surprisingly peaceful given how close Taunton sits. Luxhay Reservoir is a modest body of water that works best as a walking spot rather than a destination in itself - locals and caravan folk from Holly Bush Park nearby use it as a gentle circuit, nothing dramatic but proper restorative if you're staying put for a few days.

You won't find crowds or facilities. There's no visitor centre, no café, no paybox - just a footpath that loops the perimeter where you might spot a heron or pick out Blackdown Hills in the distance when the light's right. It's the kind of place where an hour feels like enough unless you're seriously into bird-watching. Families with young kids could manage it, though there's not much to hold their attention beyond throwing stones and spotting ducks.

The reservoir sits well within reach of the caravan parks clustered around here - Cornish Farm and Ashe Farm are both a few miles out, so it makes a decent morning walk break between longer outings into the Quantocks or Blackdowns. Free to access, obviously, and the walk rarely gets boggy even after rain.

Honestly? Don't plan a trip around it. But if you're based at one of the local parks for a week, it's worth a ramble. The fact that nothing much happens is rather the point.