Tapton Lock

The Canal Street bridge at Tapton Lock, just outside Chesterfield, is where the old industrial heritage of the Derbyshire coalfield comes into sharp focus. It's a proper working lock on the Chesterfield Canal - the sort of place where you can stand and watch narrowboats actually using it, rather than gawping at a museum piece behind glass. The lock itself sits in a landscape of Victorian engineering, with the canal cutting through what was once thriving mining country. There's a certain gritty beauty to it, if you're into that sort of thing.

Walkers get the most out of this stretch. The canal towpath runs both directions, and it's genuinely pleasant - flat, easy underfoot, with willows and weeping willows creating proper dappled shade on hot days. You can follow it for miles if you fancy it, though Tapton Lock itself makes a logical stopping point for a shorter outing. Kids won't stay more than 20 minutes unless a boat happens through - which, frankly, can be the highlight of the trip.

It's free to access and always open, which is the mark of a proper public space. Plan for an hour if you're combining it with a walk; half an hour if you're just poking about. The lock sits handily between several caravan sites - Poolsbrook Country Park is barely 3 miles away - so it works as a morning leg-stretch before settling into camp. The Chesterfield Canal as a whole rewards gentle exploration; Tapton Lock is just the appetiser.