Willowburn

Willowburn is a proper working sports ground just outside Chathill in Northumberland, the sort of place where local football and rugby teams have done their thing for years without any fuss or fanfare. It's functional rather than flash - think open terraces, a clubhouse that smells of liniment and hope, and the kind of pitch that's seen generations of weekend warriors give it their all.

You'll get the most out of this if you're actually here to watch a match or train session rather than just turning up for a nose around. Match days are when it comes alive, with supporters who actually know the players' names and aren't afraid to shout about it. Outside of that, it's quiet enough - a few runners using the perimeter on a sunny afternoon, maybe a training squad if you time it right.

There's no grand visitor experience here, which is rather the point. This is community sport as it should be - unglamorous, unpretentious, doing the job. If you're staying at Proctors Stead or Dunstan Hill nearby, and there's a local fixture on, it's worth checking what's on. Otherwise, it's more a case of stumbling upon it on a drive around the Northumberland countryside than a destination in itself. Chathill itself is small and rural, so you'll need to factor in a proper day out rather than just an hour here.