Linacre Upper Reservoir

Three reservoirs sit side by side just west of Chesterfield, and the Upper one is the real draw if you fancy a proper walk with water views. The dam walk is straightforward - nothing technical, just solid leg work that takes you along the water's edge with decent views across to the far bank.

It's the kind of place that works brilliantly if you're staying at Spire View Yurts up the road and want to stretch your legs without disappearing for the whole day. The walk itself takes a couple of hours depending on how you route it, and there's real peace here - not rammed with day-trippers the way some honeypots get.

Families with older kids will get on fine with it. The path is mostly level and well-maintained, so pushchairs work if you're not too bothered about the rougher stretches. Younger children might find it a bit long and samey after the first half-hour, if I'm honest. Walkers and photographers come here chasing decent light, and sunrise or late afternoon does produce proper moody shots across the water.

There's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of - bring a packed lunch if you're making an afternoon of it. Free to access, obviously. Go when the light's interesting rather than midday glare. It's not a headline attraction like somewhere flashy, but for a quiet morning ramble from your holiday base, it delivers exactly what you need.