Stubden Reservoir

The water here is startlingly clear on a decent day, which catches you off guard given how industrial the surrounding moorland can feel. Stubden Reservoir sits just north of Keighley, wedged into the Pennine landscape where the hills start getting serious. It's a working reservoir - so you won't find the kind of manicured visitor facilities you might expect - but that's precisely what makes it worth a visit if you're after something genuine rather than polished.

Walking the perimeter takes a solid hour or so depending on your pace and how often you stop to look back at the water. The paths are decent enough, though muddy stretches happen, particularly after rain. This is proper walking country, the kind where you'll see people with proper boots and dogs, not Instagram tourists. You get decent views across the water toward the moors beyond, and on clearer days you can make out reasonable distances.

It's ideal for walkers staying at any of the nearby parks - Upwood Holiday Park is barely a mile and a half away, making it a straightforward morning or afternoon outing. Families with younger kids might find it a touch limited unless they're keen on straightforward walking; there's no cafe, no playground, nothing like that. But if you're the type who genuinely enjoys a reservoir walk without the crowds that plague proper tourist attractions, this delivers exactly that. Free to visit, no nonsense about it.