WINNING TIP Water of Leith walkway, Edinburgh

Starting in Balerno, this is a 13-mile route through leafy Juniper Green, the old Colinton railway and Edinburgh to the Firth of Forth. Stop at Dean Village, in a gorge spanned by Thomas Telford's dramatic Dean Bridge, the National Gallery of Modern Art, or the Botanic Garden. The river flourishes with wildlife: eels and otters as well as kingfishers, herons and roe deer. The trail finishes at Leith docks, where the Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed.
waterofleith.org.uk
Methane

Liverpool

The Yellow Duck Marine
This is an extremely entertaining and informative tour of Liverpool city centre and the Albert Dock, afloat in a former D-Day landing craft. Liverpool friendliness and humour in abundance!
theyellowduckmarine.co.uk, £9.95 adults, £7.95 children
Jackopj

Norwich

Strolling with spooks
The mysterious Man in Black leads you past the city's historic landmarks, such as the castle and cathedral, telling tales of local ghosts and ghouls. There are also a few surprises along the way … Walks start at the Adam and Eve pub on Bishopsgate, near the cathedral.
07831 189985, ghostwalksnorwich.co.uk, £6pp
Rlf1993

Manchester

Castlefield canal basin
Castlefield is a great starting point for waterside walks in Manchester. Start at the Museum of Science and Industry and follow the Bridgewater Canal south-west as far as Old Trafford (where a stadium tour is available), and then walk across to the Manchester Ship Canal. On the Trafford side there is the Imperial War Museum North, or cross the footbridge to visit the Lowry Gallery and theatre complex. In the other direction, follow the Rochdale Canal under the centre while watching barges negotiate locks. There are bars and restaurants at Deansgate Locks and along Canal Street. At Piccadilly Basin you can continue along the towpaths of the Rochdale or Ashton canal.
penninewaterways.co.uk/manchester
Gdeanouk

London

Maritime Deptford
Few visitors to Greenwich ever set foot in neighbouring Deptford, despite the fact that it, too, has a market, historic buildings and an interesting maritime past. A good way to explore is on a new walking tour which uses Charles Booth's famous study of poverty in Victorian London to look at how Deptford has changed over the centuries. The walk is a great introduction to Deptford's ethnically diverse high street, fascinating past and award-winning architecture. It is led by Sean, an actor and writer, and includes a visit to the area's best pub.
charlesboothwalks.com, £10pp
Ruby11

Hackney Wick
This relatively unknown and unloved part of inner London mixes a lot of derelict, delapidated industrial plants with an artistic quarter, the Olympic Site and Westfield development to one side; there is an awful lot to see. The area offers galleries, bars and cafes, and friendly natives. Folly for a Flyover is an arts centre built of wooden bricks between two flyovers – offers cinema, children's art sessions and a cafe, while Hackney Wicked is an open weekend of the residents' work on display – although the 2011 event has just been on, unfortunately.
February48

Cambridge

The new face of the university
I like to show visitors a cluster of modern university buildings, from West Road university library through to Sidgwick Avenue. These include the Faculty of Divinity by Edward Cullinan, Faculty of Law by Norman Foster, Faculty of Music by Leslie Martin, Faculty of History by James Stirling, and the Faculty of English by Allies and Morrison. Walk down Garret Hostel Lane from Trinity Lane in the centre of Cambridge, cross over the river and cross Queen Street at the lights. Continue up the footpath to the university library. Turn left and walk across the front of the library and on down a straight path through the buildings, until you reach Sidgwick Avenue, then turn left back into town.
Diesal

Southampton

The medieval Old Town
"Walk the walls", run by Southampton Tourist Guides Associationcorrect, is a guided walk offering a fascinating insight into the Old Town. Southampton has the third longest original, uninterrupted stretch of medieval defensive walling of any town or city in Britain. The walk covers a long section of the walls, towers and gates, and a couple of medieval vaults that are not otherwise open to the public, some of which were used as air raid shelters in the second world war. The tour is 90 minutes long, covers about four miles, and has some steps; alternative, more accessible routes are offered too.
stga.org.uk/free-walks.html, £3pp
Ja9allen

Stoke-on-Trent

Retrace our industrial heritage
This walk takes advantage of some of the transport routes used during our industrial past. Start from the Festival Park retail and leisure complex, site of the 1986 Garden Festival, and where Josiah Wedgwood's Etruria Hall is now part of the Moat House hotel. Join the towpath of the Trent and Mersey canal and walk north through the site of the former Shelton Bar steelworks, passing some fine examples of the traditional bottle kilns used by the pottery industry, to Westport Lake. From here it is a short walk to Burslem, the most attractive of the six towns which make up The Potteries, and setting for the best of Arnold Bennett's novels. There are several good pubs here, and you can join the off-road greenway, which follows the former Loop Line railway back towards your starting point.
thepotteries.org; canaljunction.com
Robstoke

Exeter

The Green Circle route
You can pick up this trail around the perimeter of Exeter at any edge of the city: it is well signposted with green circles, and takes in lovely parks, university grounds, rivers and canals, with lots of variety for young and old. There are plenty of play areas, pubs and restaurants too. This is a long walk (12 miles) but easily achievable in a full day, and if you've had enough there are plenty of buses to take you back. I did this walk when my kids were nine and 10, and they still talk about it.
exeter.gov.uk
Ianc40