Derby Ghost Walk and Jail

The old Derby jail sits at the heart of the town's grimier past, and the ghost walk that winds through it pulls no punches about what went on behind those walls. You're walking through actual Victorian cells where real inmates spent their final days - it's properly unsettling in the best way.

The tour itself focuses on the executions that took place here and the stories of the folk who didn't leave alive. Guide quality varies depending on who you get, but when they're on form, they paint a vivid picture of 19th-century justice and everything that was brutal about it. The cells are cramped and cold even now, which does half the work for you.

It's not one for the faint-hearted or small children - anyone under about twelve will likely find it either boring or genuinely disturbing. Adults with an interest in social history or macabre tourism will get proper value from it. Budget ninety minutes to do this properly, not rushed.

Derby town centre is compact enough to walk between attractions, so couple this with a wander round the silk mill or the cathedral if you're making a day of it. If you're basing yourself at Hill Farm Camping just outside town, you've got a solid anchor for exploring the area without fighting for car parks.

Check ahead before you go - opening hours aren't always obvious online, and admission fees do apply.