A gap year for the grounded: 15 ideas for young British adventurers

With Machu Picchu and Koh Samui off limits for now, we pick fun and exciting UK trips for eager backpackers

Britain’s extensive network inland waterways – rivers, streams and canals – covers a whopping 4,700 miles, of which 2,700 are navigable. The organisation that looks after this network, the Canal & Rivers Trust, has a number of opportunities for volunteers to maintain its historic boats and also pilot some of them around a selection of national shows to help educate visitors about the traditional way of life of narrowboat families.