Mill Lake

The water at Mill Lake sits dead calm most mornings, reflecting the Northamptonshire sky like a mirror someone's forgotten to smudge. It's a proper working lake - originally a flooded quarry - that's evolved into something genuinely worth stopping for if you're camping nearby. You get a decent walk around it, nothing strenuous, with fishing platforms dotted about and enough open space that families with young kids won't feel hemmed in.

The lake works best for walkers and anglers rather than spectacle-chasers. Bring binoculars if you're into water birds - the place attracts cormorants and various ducks depending on season. The walk takes forty minutes to an hour depending on pace and how many times you stop. It's free access and open year-round, though winter can turn the paths boggy.

If you're staying at Castle Farm Campsite or Brightside Caravan Park, this is your obvious morning stroll before heading deeper into the area. Peterborough sits just a few miles south, so you can combine it with the cathedral or the city centre if the weather turns. The lake itself won't blow your mind - it's a bit of Northamptonshire doing what Northamptonshire does, which is to say quietly pleasant rather than dramatic. But for campers looking for a gentle leg-stretch without fighting crowds, it absolutely fits the bill.