Basset Monument

The Basset Monument stands on high ground just outside Redruth, a sturdy granite obelisk that catches you by surprise as you're driving through the mining heartland of Cornwall. It's a memorial to the Basset family, local landowners and mine operators who shaped this corner of the county, and it's the kind of thing you'd miss entirely if you weren't looking for it.

You can pull up and walk around it for free - there's no entrance fee, no visitor centre, no queue. The real reward is the view across the tin and copper mining landscape that made this area wealthy in the 18th and 19th centuries. On a clear day you get a proper sense of scale and isolation up there. It's not a major attraction - you won't spend hours here - but if you're based at one of the nearby parks like Lanyon Holiday Park or Tresyjo Glamping, it's well worth the short drive and a fifteen-minute detour.

Family groups and walkers will appreciate the openness of the spot and the chance to stretch their legs without committing to a full moorland hike. History enthusiasts will find it interesting as a tangible marker of Cornwall's industrial past, though you'll want to research the Bassets beforehand if you want the story to really land. The nearest town, Redruth, is just a couple of miles away and has the basics if you need them. Go in decent weather - there's no shelter, and the wind can be proper keen up there.