Royce Wood Handmade Tiles Ltd

Handmade tiles might not sound like a day out, but Royce Wood's operation near Alfreton is genuinely worth an hour of your time if you're pottering around Derbyshire. This is a working gallery and studio where you can actually watch craftspeople make tiles the old-fashioned way - by hand, with proper techniques that haven't changed much in decades.

What you get is a glimpse into something most people have forgotten exists. The tiles themselves are beautiful - glazed ceramics in traditional patterns and contemporary designs. You can buy direct from the maker, which means prices are fair and you know exactly where your money's going. The studio has that lovely workshop smell - clay dust and kiln heat - and staff who genuinely know what they're talking about.

It's best suited to people who actually care about craft and design rather than families after a theme park fix. Kids will be bored within twenty minutes unless they're genuinely interested in how things are made. Expect to spend 45 minutes to an hour here, tops.

If you're camping at any of the nearby sites - Yew Tree Farm is closest at just two miles away - this works as a gentle rainy-day option. Combine it with a walk around Alfreton or a run over to the Peak District proper, which isn't far. Worth stopping by if you're in the area, though don't plan your entire holiday around it. It's a pleasant detour, not a destination in itself.