The Old Transformers

David Kemp's Industrial Giants sculpture park sits just outside Derecroft in Tyne and Wear, and it's a proper one-off. These aren't your typical gallery pieces - we're talking about vast transformers and electrical equipment repurposed into towering metal sculptures that loom across the landscape. Walking around feels like stumbling into someone's brilliantly mad engineering dream.

Kemp salvages defunct industrial bits and transforms them into these monumental figures and abstract forms. There's something almost post-apocalyptic about it, but in a clever way rather than bleak. The scale catches you off guard - you'll find yourself walking for a good hour just taking it all in, and the light changes the whole mood depending on what time you visit.

It works best for anyone into industrial design, contemporary sculpture, or just wanting something genuinely different from the usual gallery experience. Families with older kids who aren't easily bored will enjoy the walk and the unusual setting. Photography types will have a field day.

Head here from any of the nearby parks - Beamish Holiday Park and Beamish Glamping are both close enough for a morning trip, and you won't need more than a couple of hours unless you're really thorough. Check the website for current opening details and admission costs before you go. It's worth the drive from Derecroft if you're after something that actually makes you think.