Farmoor Reservoir, Oxford

I went sailing here and had a good time. If you’re used to sailing in picturesque lakes or on the open sea, don’t expect too much, but it is lovely to be out in the countryside, and it’s surprisingly close to Oxford. You can cycle there in about half an hour or get the bus, which leaves you with a kilometre or so to walk to the reservoir entrance. The buses are quite unreliable though, so make sure you leave enough time to get back!

The boats belong to the university, local schools and private members and it was buzzing with life when I went on a weekday afternoon. There are loads of different boats, but the club sheds are quite shabby - basically metal lorry containers. The club house has got changing facilities, a meeting hall which operates as a snack bar, but not when I went, and a couple of vending machines.

The reservoir itself is quite big - plenty of room for lots of groups. It’s a lot colder and windier on the water than on the land nearby, and, as I found out, it’s easy to get sunburnt even when it’s windy!