Moat pond

The water's proper still here, reflecting sky that changes colour about four times before noon. Moat pond sits just outside Hull, a nature reserve where you can actually hear yourself think - something you won't manage in the city centre. It's a working wetland rather than a manicured park, which means the birds don't mind you being there as long as you keep your distance.

What draws people out here is straightforward: water birds, the odd heron if you're lucky, and paths that let you wander without feeling watched. The reserve works well for families with young kids who don't need theme parks and white-knuckle rides - let them spot mallards and moorhens instead. Photography types come for the light on water early morning. Walkers use it as a proper break from Hull's flat streets, though be warned it's not dramatic - this is landscape by subtraction, not by peaks and drama.

You can leave after an hour feeling like you've done something restorative, or spend three hours if the light's good and you're not in a rush. The nearby holiday parks - Cowden, Sea View Country Park, and Sand le Mere among them - all sit within a few miles, making Moat pond an easy add-on if you're staying in the area for a longer break. Go when it's wet. Seriously. That's when this place actually comes alive.