Griff Roundabout

The Griff Roundabout sits just outside Atherstone, a modest junction that marks the spot where the Coventry Canal once crossed the Oxford Canal on a grand aqueduct. These days there's not much to see - a roundabout is a roundabout, after all - but the history underneath makes it worth knowing about. Back in the 1790s, this was engineering showmanship: James Brindley's canal network was reshaping the Midlands, and the aqueduct here was proof of what Victorian canal builders could achieve.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - 5 Ways Lakes or Hollyfast Caravan Park are both decent options - and you fancy a bit of industrial heritage on the side, the site itself won't take long. There's no visitor centre or fancy interpretation, just the bones of the thing. Canal enthusiasts and history types will get more from it than most; families with small kids might find it underwhelming as an actual stop, but it's interesting enough if you're passing through or doing a canal walk in the area.

The real experience comes if you trace the towpath along the Coventry Canal itself. That's where you get the sense of what this engineering achievement meant - the water, the locks, the way commerce used to move. Atherstone's close by if you need refreshments or a proper look around a market town. Worth a detour if you're already canal-spotting in the region, but don't make a special trip just for the roundabout itself.