The Mere - Ellesmere

The Mere at Ellesmere is a proper lake - about 90 acres of open water ringed by woodland, and it's the kind of place where you can actually see what you're doing without fighting through crowds. The walking circuit takes you around the shoreline, past reed beds where you'll spot water birds if you're up early enough, and there are viewing points where the light hits the water just right in the late afternoon. It's free, which helps, and you can knock out the full loop in under two hours at a leisurely pace.

Birdwatchers will get the most from this. Bring binoculars and patience - cormorants, herons, tufted ducks, all the usual cast. Families with young children might find a single lap enough before restlessness sets in, though the water's genuinely magnetic if you get a still day. The paths are well-maintained and mostly flat, so it works for older walkers too.

If you're based at Archers' Meadow Glamping or Colemere Caravan Park - both within a couple of miles - this is an easy morning or late-afternoon excursion that slots perfectly into a Shropshire park holiday. Combine it with a walk around Ellesmere town itself and you've got half a decent day mapped out. No visitor centre or facilities to speak of, so bring what you need. Go on a weekday if you can. Weekends bring the local ramblers and it loses some of its stillness.