Shustoke Reservoir

The water here is proper calm most days, a long stretch of reservoir that runs between Warwickshire countryside like a natural pause button. Shustoke Reservoir sits just outside Atherstone and works brilliantly if you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Nightingales or Somers Wood are both within spitting distance.

It's a walker's spot rather than a screaming-kids-on-rides kind of place. The paths around the water are straightforward enough, and you get decent views across the water to the surrounding fields. Bring binoculars if you're into birds - this is the sort of place where you'll spot herons and the occasional fisherman who knows what he's doing.

The real value is in the walk itself. Allow a couple of hours to amble round without rushing, though you can knock it back to 45 minutes if you're just after a leg-stretch. It's free to access and there's parking near the dam, which is just sensible.

Will kids find it thrilling? Probably not for hours. It's too quiet, too still, too lacking in ice cream vans. But if you've got older children who can manage a gentle two-mile loop and don't need constant entertainment, it's a solid way to break up a park holiday. Pair it with Atherstone itself - there's a decent high street for supplies - and you've got yourself a proper morning out without overcomplicating things.