Willows Pool

The water at Willows Pool is surprisingly clear for a Warwickshire lake, and on a decent day you can actually see down to the bottom in the shallower sections. It's a working gravel pit that's been left to naturalise, which means you get proper wildlife habitat rather than a manicured leisure complex - herons, dragonflies, the lot.

You can walk the perimeter easily enough, which takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on how often you stop to look at things. The paths are decent, though they can get muddy after rain. Birdwatchers will have a field day here, especially in spring and autumn when migrants pass through. Families with young kids might find it a bit too quiet if they're after the playground experience, but anyone over ten who enjoys nature will get something from it.

It's free to access and there's no formal visitor centre, so you just turn up. If you're staying at Nightingales Rustic Camping near Atherstone - which is only 3.6 miles away - this makes a proper morning or afternoon outing without leaving the immediate area. Combine it with a walk round Atherstone itself and you've got a solid day sorted.

Best visited early in the day when the water's still and the light catches it properly. Bring binoculars if you're into birds. It's the sort of place that rewards a bit of patience rather than a quick 20-minute dash.