Lee Valley White Water Centre

The white water course at Lee Valley sits just east of Waltham Cross and was built for the 2012 Olympics - you can still see the legacy infrastructure, the viewing areas, the whole operation. It's a proper working venue, not a museum piece. On any given day you'll watch canoeists and kayakers tackling the artificial rapids, the water churning through channels designed to Olympic specification. It's genuinely compelling to watch, even if you're not doing it yourself.

There's a spectator area where you can stand and take in the action without paying to compete. If your family fancies a go - and kids from about eight upwards tend to enjoy it - you can book taster sessions or full courses. The centre also runs stand-up paddleboarding on the calmer stretches and other water sports depending on the season.

This works well alongside the Lee Valley park facilities nearby. Fowley Mead Park is barely half a mile away, while Lee Valley Campsite at Sewardstone and the caravan parks at Edmonton and Dobbs Weir are all within easy reach. Combine a few days at one of those with a morning or afternoon here and you've got a solid water-focused break for families.

Worth a visit if you're in the area and interested in water sports or Olympic venues. Not worth a special trip on its own unless you're actually keen on paddling. Allow 90 minutes if you're just spectating, longer if you're participating.