Linacre Reservoirs

Three man-made reservoirs sitting in a valley just outside Chesterfield, Linacre is the sort of place locals have known about for years while visitors drive straight past. You get a proper walk around the water - the circuit takes a couple of hours depending on which bits you tackle - with woodland on one side and the reservoirs themselves reflecting sky and trees. The middle reservoir is the deepest, and there's something calming about watching the water level against the surrounding slopes.

It's free to visit and open year-round, which makes it a solid addition to a Derbyshire camping trip rather than a destination in itself. Walkers and birdwatchers will find it genuinely useful - bring binoculars and you might spot herons or the odd kingfisher. Families with young kids will get thirty minutes of entertainment before someone asks how much longer, but older children who like a steady ramble will be fine. The paths are well-maintained though muddy after rain, so proper boots matter.

Stay at one of the glamping spots nearby - Lambs is barely a mile away, or push to Riverside Valley if you want a bit more space - and you can spend a morning here before heading to Chatsworth House or deeper into the Peak District. It's not dramatic or showy, but it works. Go early on a weekend to dodge the dog walkers, and take a flask. The car park's small but free, and there's a café situation depending on the season. Honest value.