Dubbs Reservoir

The walk down to Dubbs Reservoir from the Windermere side is deceptive - looks gentle on the map, but the path gets properly muddy once you commit. Worth it though, especially if you time it for late afternoon when the light hits the water just right and you've got the place more or less to yourself.

It's a working reservoir so don't expect a beauty spot postcard situation. The water's industrial grey-brown most days, ringed by fell rather than the manicured Lake District you see on the tourist boards. That said, it's real and undisturbed - walkers come here, fishermen know it well, and families who've done the Windermere boat thing twice already find it a proper escape from the crowds.

You're looking at a two-hour round trip from the nearest parking if you're doing this as a half-day outing. Go in the drier months - spring and autumn beat summer when the flies are savage, and winter can mean the approach is impassable. There's no café, no facilities, no admission fees. This is a walkers' lake, full stop.

If you're based at Windermere Camping and Caravanning Club Site just down the road, it's an easy morning walk that won't eat your whole day. Combines well with the bigger reservoir walks higher up if you've got legs in the group. Not scenic theatre like Windermere itself, but that's precisely why it's worth the detour.