Bewl Water

Bewl Water is a proper working reservoir that doubles as one of the South East's best spots for a casual day out, sat just outside Wadhurst in Kent. It's a sprawling 770-acre lake where the main draw is walking the perimeter path - about five miles of it - with water views that shift depending on where you stand. On a clear day you get decent sight lines across the whole thing, and if you're lucky the light hits it just right in late afternoon.

The lake caters to walkers, cyclists, and anglers, though families with younger kids might find the walk a bit long without proper breaks. There's a visitor centre (though opening hours can be patchy), and you can rent bikes if five miles on foot sounds grim. The water itself is cold enough that swimming isn't really encouraged, but people do fish here seriously - if that's your thing, you'll want to check permits beforehand.

It works well as a stop between camp stays. Hopgarden Glamping is just 1.6 miles away, making it an easy morning walk, and both Glassenbury Camping and Tanner Farm Park are close enough that you could base yourself at either and make Bewl Water part of a wider ramble around the Weald. The thing is, it's not dramatic - it won't knock your socks off. But it's honest, the walking is straightforward, and if you need a couple of hours in the fresh air without too much fanfare, it does the job. Best visited when the weather's decent; soggy and grey, it loses something.