Hatton Locks

Twenty-one locks in quick succession - that's what you get at Hatton Locks, about two miles south of Warwick. The Grand Union Canal climbs 147 feet through this remarkable staircase, and watching narrowboats work their way up (or down) is genuinely absorbing, even if you've never given canals much thought before.

The locks themselves are the draw here. There's a decent towpath running alongside, so you can walk the full flight at your own pace - takes about half an hour if you're dawdling and taking photos. The engineering is proper impressive when you stop to think about it: all that Victorian ingenuity to shift water and boats up a hillside. On a sunny afternoon, with narrowboat crews working the locks and families cycling past, it feels like the canal is actually alive rather than just a historical curiosity.

Walkers will get the most from this - especially if you're planning a longer canal-side ramble. It's free to visit and access is straightforward from the towpath. Bring the kids if they're patient types; younger ones might find standing around watching locks fill a bit dull after twenty minutes. The real draw is the novelty of seeing how many boats can queue up.

If you're based at Mousley House Farm or Warwick Racecourse Caravan Site, you're practically on the doorstep. From Knight's Village at Warwick Castle, it's an easy bike ride. Worth a morning visit while you're exploring the wider Warwick area - don't plan your whole day around it, but slot it in and you won't regret it.