Lagan Towpath, Northern Ireland

Best for: Wildlife wonders Opened in 1763 and funded by a tax on drink sold in the districts it passed through, the Lagan Navigation ran the 11 miles between Belfast and Lisburn and mainly carried coal. Closed in the mid-1950s, there are no boats now; the locks are derelict and some stretches are dry, but the river waters and the towpath run through oak and beech woods, and the surroundings are a haven for wildlife. Walk early in the morning to revel in the dawn chorus and have a chance of spotting otters. Keep an eye out for foxes, red squirrels, trout and rare newts, and take time to lounge in the meadows scattered with wildflowers.

There’s the Lock-Keeper’s Inn café next to an actual lock-keeper's cottage filled with traditional furniture and a small floating museum aboard a lighter at the Lagan Valley Regional Park. WALK HERE: Visit www.walkni.com/ walks/40/lagan-towpath