Kielder Viaduct

The viaduct itself is a proper Victorian engineering marvel - a long stone arch bridge that carries you across a deep wooded valley with barely a wobble. Built in the 1860s to transport stone from the quarries, it's now part of the Kielder Water and Forest Park landscape, standing at about 50 metres high. Walking or cycling over it gives you that genuine sense of height without being genuinely frightening, and the views down into the forested valley below are worth lingering for.

It's less of a destination in itself and more of a brilliant focal point on a longer walk or bike ride through the Kielder area. You won't spend hours here - twenty minutes to cross it and absorb the surroundings is realistic - but it's exactly the kind of Victorian infrastructure that makes the North East's industrial heritage worth exploring. The stone construction has weathered beautifully, and there's something satisfying about walking a bridge that's been doing its job for 160 years.

Families with energetic kids will appreciate it as a landmark on a forest trail rather than a standalone stop. Walkers and cyclists heading through Kielder Forest should definitely include it in their route. The nearest base is Hexham, though the holiday parks at Kielder Campsite and Landal Kielder Waterside are far better positioned for exploring this way - you're already in the thick of it. Admission and access appear to be free, making it an easy add-on to any forest park outing. Go in summer when the woodland's full.