East Midlands Airport Picnic and Viewpoint Area (EMG)

Watching aircraft thunder down the runway is oddly mesmerising, even if you're not an anorak. The picnic area at East Midlands Airport gives you a front-row seat to proper heavy metal - cargo planes, passenger jets, the occasional helicopter. It's free, which helps, and beats paying for a museum you'll forget about by Thursday.

The viewpoint itself is straightforward. You park up, grab a bench, and watch the action unfold across the tarmac. Kids tend to get genuinely excited about it for the first half hour or so, though teenagers will probably want their phones. On a clear day the views across Derbyshire stretch reasonably far, though don't expect Instagram gold - this is functional rather than pretty.

Best visited midweek when the flight schedule is busier and you won't be dodging family groups. Allow an hour maximum, unless you're seriously into aviation. Morning tends quieter than afternoon. Weather matters - a drizzly day here feels properly industrial.

It works as a free interlude if you're based at Midshires Way Campsite or Field of Dreams Glamping, both within easy reach of Loughborough. Not worth a dedicated trip on its own, but if you're already in the area and have an hour to kill, it's a decent bit of novelty. Takes zero planning and costs nothing.