Reservoirs rarely top anyone's holiday wishlist, yet England's biggest man-made lakes have quietly become some of the country's best spots for walking, fishing and watersports — several matched by natural lakes for scenery.
The headliner is Rutland Water in the East Midlands, England's largest artificial lake at 4.86 square miles. Around 4 miles of lakeside trails come with wide water views, and Rutland Watersports rents out canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and rowboats for anyone after more than a stroll. Birders should head for the 1,000-acre nature reserve, where waterfowl gather in serious numbers.
Up in Northumberland, Kielder Water (4.25 square miles) sits inside England's largest forest and does something few English lakes manage: proper dark skies. Sailing and water-skiing run year-round, trout season runs spring to autumn, and the 26-mile Lakeside Way is designed with accessibility in mind. Entry is free — you just pay for parking. Come nightfall, it's one of the country's top stargazing venues.
Two lakes tie for third at 2.85 square miles. Pitsford Water in Northamptonshire has 7 miles of wheelchair-friendly paths, boat fishing by permit, and a no-watersports nature reserve on its northern half — note that swimming is off-limits except on designated open swim days. Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire counters with 9 miles of paved track circling the shore, plus a western nature preserve where warblers, terns and sandpipers keep birders busy.
Further down the list, Chew Valley Lake near Bristol (1.88 square miles) draws fly fishers from far beyond Somerset, with boat hire from Woodford Lodge — accessible boats need advance notice. Swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding are banned, but the trails more than compensate.
The most atmospheric of the lot may be Haweswater in the Lake District (1.5 square miles). The reservoir drowned the farming village of Mardale, and in dry spells its ruins can reappear. Shore fishing is allowed, and a 10-mile circuit takes five to six hours through rugged, tree-lined terrain. Derwent Reservoir in County Durham (1.44 square miles) rounds out the seven with a castle-style dam, a 10-mile circular walk and some of the most photographable shores of the bunch. Its quirks: no watersports, and you'll need to book parking ahead.
For travellers, the appeal is obvious: these lakes combine big, open water with well-maintained paths, most of them accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs, and none of the crowds you'd find at Windermere. Anglers, cyclists and stargazers get the most out of them — just sort out fishing licences and permits before you arrive.
