The Chinese Bridge

The Chinese Bridge sits just outside Huntingdon, a proper oddity in the flat Cambridgeshire landscape. It's an 18th-century stone arch spanning the River Great Ouse, built with that distinctive curved design that makes you do a double-take the first time you round the corner. The bridge itself is small - you'll walk across it in about thirty seconds - but it's worth stopping to actually look at the stonework and the river views on either side.

Historically minded visitors will find the story interesting enough: it was constructed during a time when everything Chinese was fashionable in Georgian England, a whimsical flourish that somehow survived when so many similar follies didn't. The setting along the riverside is genuinely pleasant, particularly if you walk the towpath either direction from here. It's not a major attraction in the sense you'd spend hours there, but it makes a lovely half-mile detour if you're already exploring the Huntingdon area.

The bridge works best as part of a riverside walk rather than a destination in itself. If you're staying at one of the caravan parks nearby - Huntingdon Boathaven is practically on your doorstep at 0.4 miles - it's an easy morning stroll. Bring binoculars if you're into birdwatching; the river attracts mallards and the occasional heron. Free to visit, no facilities, best in decent weather when the towpath isn't muddy. Families with young children will find it fine for a quick look but won't hold attention long.