Created in 1981, when the River Yeo was dammed to supply water to Bristol, Blagdon Lake is, today, a hub for wildlife such as skylarks, osprey and myriad geese; and a prime place to walk and enjoy views across the valley. It is, in fact, a SSSI. I’ve visited a couple of times when attending Yeo Valley’s fun-filled YEOpen Day events, and always try to tie my trips in with a walk around a different part of the area. This route was simple – a sandy and stony path follows the curve of the lake through woodlands and across open fields – so I had more time to focus on the surroundings. You may just make out the white shape of a building in the photo above – this is the Yeo Valley HQ; the farmhouse belonging to the dairy behind the wonderful organic yogurts, butters, ice creams, and milks that grace supermarket shelves. I thoroughly recommend attending a YEOopen Day (or other such event; they run suppers, demos and more throughout the year-view the full calendar, here-as well as having a beautiful organic garden and tearoom), as getting a glimpse behind the scenes of this worldwide brand, and seeing how humble and honest it is, feels particularly refreshing.