One Acre Pond

The name's misleading - One Acre Pond is actually a proper little lake, set back from the Dorset coast near Swanage with surprisingly good views across the water. It's the sort of place locals know and visitors miss, which is exactly why it's worth bothering with.

You get a decent walk around the perimeter, nothing strenuous, and the water's clear enough on a decent day to see right across. Birdwatchers do well here - there's usually something worth photographing, whether it's wildfowl or the occasional heron stalking about. Kids won't get bored for the twenty minutes or so it takes to loop the pond, and if you time it right at dusk the light's lovely.

It's free to visit and you can turn up whenever you fancy - there's no formal opening hours or admission gates. Allow a good hour if you're the type to sit and watch the water for a bit, half that if you're just passing through.

The pond works well as part of a wider Swanage exploration. You're only a few miles from the seafront, and it makes a nice contrast to a beach day - fresher air, fewer people, a bit more peaceful. The nearby holiday parks - Ulwell Holiday Park and Swanage Bay View are both close by - make sensible bases if you're after a week in the area. A morning here, afternoon on the beach, and you've got a proper day sorted.

Worth the detour if you're in Swanage anyway. Don't plan a trip round it specifically, but don't skip it either.