Upper Lake

The water here is properly dark, reflecting the moorland sky in a way that makes you understand why people used to think lakes were portals to somewhere else. Upper Lake sits in the Pennines above Nidderdale, a reservoir that's become more interesting to visit than most people realise.

It's a walker's spot rather than a picnic destination. The circuit around the lake takes a good couple of hours, and the path can be boggy in places - proper Yorkshire moorland, no manicured edges. On a clear day the views back towards the valley are worth the squelchy bits. If you're after easy access without the trek, the dam itself offers a decent vantage point and you'll see the water stretching away into the hills.

Families with young kids might find it a bit exposed and relentless; older children and adults who like open moorland will get far more from it. There's no visitor centre, no facilities, no charge. Just landscape. You'll need to know what you're looking for rather than stumbling upon it by accident.

Used as part of a broader Nidderdale ramble, it works brilliantly. The nearest sizeable town is Leeds, but that's not really the point - this is moorland walking country. If you're basing yourself at Maustin Park or elsewhere in the valley, Upper Lake makes a solid half-day outing when the weather's on your side. Avoid the windiest days; the exposed position means it can be properly bracing.