Walshaw Dean Lower Reservoir

The walk to Walshaw Dean Lower Reservoir demands proper boots and a decent level of fitness. Set in the Colden Valley above Hebden Bridge, this isn't a stroll round a manicured lake - it's proper moorland, and the reservoir sits at the end of a serious climb through heather and stone-flagged paths.

Once you reach it, the water stretches out cold and grey beneath the hills, with nothing but bracken and sky for company. The Victorian engineering is understated - dry stone walls, a simple dam - but there's something compelling about how it sits in the landscape. It's the kind of place where you understand why people come to the Pennines to escape.

Walkers will get far more from this than casual visitors. Families with young kids should think twice - the terrain is boggy in places and there's no cafe or facilities at the top. The real draw is solitude and the views back down the valley towards Hebden Bridge.

The walk takes a good two hours up from the village, longer if you're not used to the gradient. Spring or early autumn are best - summer gets busy on weekends, and winter can be genuinely treacherous. It's free to visit, obviously, being a reservoir in the middle of nowhere.

Camp at Shay Gate Farm or Hebden Bridge Caravan Club if you're staying locally. The reservoir works well as a half-day excursion combined with exploring Hebden Bridge itself or heading further into the Calderdale Way.