Watchtree Nature Reserve

A 205 acre reserve on the Solway plain a mile and a half west of Great Orton, laid out on the site of the 2001 foot and mouth burial ground and now grassland, ponds, hides and young woodland. The main loop is a wide, well-drained surfaced track, which is why it works in a Cumbrian winter when the riverside paths in Carlisle are mud; the same track is used by the reserve's adaptive cycles, so expect to share it. There is a visitor centre and cafe on site and free parking. The reserve is a genuine lead-on site and says so plainly, which is exactly why regular dog walkers use it.