Kelham Weir

The Kelham Weir sits on the Don just outside Sheffield, and it's one of those spots that delivers properly if you time it right. The weir itself is industrial-looking in the best way - all brick and engineering heritage, with water thundering over the concrete lip depending on rainfall. Stand on the bridge above and you get a proper sense of the river's power, especially after heavy rain when the whole thing's in spate.

It's not a long stop. Most people spend twenty minutes max here, taking photos and watching the water. Don't come expecting wild countryside - this is very much on the urban fringe, with roads and buildings visible. What you get instead is genuine river energy and a moment of quiet away from the city itself.

Walkers will find it useful as a checkpoint on longer Don Valley routes rather than a destination in itself. The industrial heritage appeals if you're interested in Sheffield's past as a steel town - this weir powered mills that mattered. Families with young children might find it interesting for five minutes before they want to move on.

Free, obviously. Open all hours since it's outdoors. Spring and winter are best when water levels are higher and more dramatic. If you're based at Fox Hagg Farm Campsite or Wyming Brook Farm Campsite nearby, it's an easy morning excursion to combine with a longer walk down the Don Valley. Worth the short drive from Sheffield if you're passing, but don't make a special trip.