Queensway Park 27

The wetland at Queensway Park 27 is proper worthwhile if you're the type who gets excited about spotting water birds and spotting what nature does when left to its own devices. It's a small nature reserve just outside Whitchurch, the sort of place where you could easily spend an hour wandering the paths without feeling rushed, or dash round in twenty minutes if time's tight.

You're looking at open water, reed beds, and the kind of habitat that attracts everything from tufted ducks to the occasional heron if you're lucky. There's no visitor centre or cafe, which means it's refreshingly low-key - bring binoculars if you're serious about birdwatching, or just enjoy the fact that it's genuinely quiet. Spring and early summer are best for seeing migrant species and hearing the frogs.

This works well as a stop-off during a caravan holiday at one of the nearby parks - Marbury Camp & Lodge and Bradley Hall Rural Escapes are both within easy driving distance and well-rated. It's the kind of detour that breaks up a day without demanding much planning. Not a day-out destination in itself, but if you're based locally for a week and fancy getting outside without the crowds, it does the job. Families with older kids who like nature will get more from it than toddlers would. Worth a visit, but manage your expectations - it's a working nature reserve, not a theme park with facilities.