Daventry Country Park

The reservoir at Daventry Country Park is the real draw here - a proper expanse of water that catches you off guard when you round the corner from the car park. It's the kind of place locals have known about for years while visitors drive straight past on the A45, which is their loss.

You get a good circular walk around the water's edge, taking in views across to Daventry town itself, and the paths are well-maintained enough that families with younger kids won't struggle. The whole loop takes roughly an hour at a leisurely pace, maybe ninety minutes if you stop to watch the waterfowl - cormorants are regular visitors. There's a visitor centre with facilities, which helps if you're making an afternoon of it.

Historically it matters because the reservoir was engineered to supply water to the Grand Union Canal back in the 1790s, a feat of Victorian engineering that quietly underpinned the region's commercial life. These days it's less industrial romance and more peaceful green space, which suits most people better.

For a park holiday based at one of the nearby glamping spots - EWE Glamping or Hideaway Wood Farm are both close by - this works as a morning wander before heading elsewhere. It's not the sort of place to build a day around unless you're genuinely keen on birdwatching or canal history. Daventry itself is walkable from here, so you could combine a circuit of the park with a pub lunch in town. Free entry, no timings to worry about. Go early on weekends to avoid the school run parents.