Abbotts Moss Nature Reserve

The wetland here is proper Cheshire countryside - flat, boggy, and surprisingly good for wildlife if you know what you're looking for. Abbotts Moss Nature Reserve sits just outside Tarporley and attracts birdwatchers and naturalists keen on sphagnum mosses and the odd dragonfly, though it's not the kind of place that grabs you on first glance. The paths meander through wet grassland and patches of heather. Summer's the best time when the insect life picks up and the whole thing feels less like walking through a soggy field.

Family groups will find it a bit of a slog if the kids aren't already interested in bogs. There's no visitor centre, no facilities to speak of, and you're relying on good boots and the weather staying dry. Serious birders and bog enthusiasts get far more from it than casual walkers passing through. Allow an hour if you're taking it slowly, forty minutes if you just want to say you've been.

Camp at Acorns Caravan Park or Shays Farm Campsite - both within a mile - and you've got easy access for a morning walk before heading elsewhere in the region. It works as part of a broader Cheshire holiday rather than a destination in itself. The reserve itself is free to access, no entry fees or advance booking needed. Go when it's not dripping wet, and bring binoculars if you're any good with birds.