Nottingham Canal

The canal that runs through Nottingham is less a gallery in the traditional sense and more a 14-mile ribbon of urban art and industrial heritage that's been reclaimed for proper leisure use. You'll find converted warehouse galleries along the water's edge, street art murals on the lock gates, and independent galleries tucked into the old brick buildings that line the towpath. Walk from the city centre towards Beeston or head north towards Daybrook and you'll spot everything from sculpture installations to temporary exhibitions in unexpected spots.

It's brilliant for walkers who want something easy underfoot - the towpath is flat and well-maintained, so families with younger kids or anyone after a casual stroll will manage it fine. The whole stretch takes a couple of hours if you're dawdling and stopping to look at things, or you can just nip out for thirty minutes if you're based nearby. Art enthusiasts will want to poke into the converted studio spaces and check what's on at the various smaller galleries. Historians will appreciate the Georgian and Victorian warehouses, though the industrial heritage is more atmospheric than museum-heavy.

If you're staying at somewhere like Birdholme Glamping six miles out, the canal makes a cracking half-day outing that breaks up a park-based holiday nicely. It's free to wander, year-round, and the towpath connects to other walking routes if you fancy extending things. Bring a camera - the light on the water and architecture photographs well, especially morning or late afternoon.