Snailsden Reservoir

The water sits in a fold of the Pennines just outside Holmfirth, and on a clear day it's the sort of place that makes you understand why people bother with Yorkshire at all. Snailsden Reservoir is straightforward - a working water supply that's also become a quiet spot for walking and fishing, with moorland rising on all sides. The walk around the perimeter is manageable without being demanding, and the views back towards the valley are proper worth your time. You'll see the occasional angler, some dog walkers, not much else. That's rather the point.

Walkers will get the most from a visit here. It's not a dramatic landscape - no crags or sudden drops - but there's something peaceful about the moorland and water combination that makes it good for clearing your head. Families with young children might find it a bit limited if you're planning to stay for hours; there's no café, no facilities that I could find, just the reservoir and the hills. Go for a couple of hours, take a flask.

Since you're staying at one of the nearby sites - Whitegate Leisure is barely a mile away - this works as a morning or late-afternoon walk without faffing about with petrol. The Holmfirth area has proper walking infrastructure, so you could easily combine it with other routes in the Holme Valley. Best in decent weather; when it's grey and damp, the moorland can feel a bit relentless.