The John Fox Stand

You're standing in Bury, looking at what used to be a proper football stadium. The John Fox Stand is all that remains of Gigg Lane, the old ground of Bury Football Club - a piece of Lancashire football history that's been left to weather the years. It's an odd feeling, wandering around an abandoned stand when you know the roar that once filled these terraces.

The stand itself tells you everything about how football used to be built - red brick, steep seating, the kind of no-nonsense construction that lasted decades before the money moved elsewhere. You can still imagine match days here, the crowds climbing those steps, the noise bouncing off the structure. It's melancholic, if you're honest, seeing it empty. But that's exactly why it matters.

This one's for football historians and anyone with a soft spot for how things used to be. Kids won't get much out of it unless they're already mad about the sport. There's not much to actually do - you're looking at a stand, photographing it, maybe reading the plaques if there are any. Give it thirty minutes, tops.

If you're staying at Burrs Country Park Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite or Dearden Wood nearby, this is a quick detour into town rather than a destination in itself. Worth combining with a proper wander around Bury's market or a bite to eat, but don't expect to spend hours here. It's a snapshot of something that's gone.