Cadgwith Harbour

The fishing boats at Cadgwith are the real draw - working vessels painted in faded blues and reds, still hauling in catches the way they have for centuries. You'll find yourself walking down a steep lane that feels properly cut off from the rest of Cornwall, emerging into a tight cove where the harbour sits like a secret someone forgot to guard.

It's a working village, not a museum piece. Fishermen mend nets, tourists pick their way across the shingle, and a couple of cafes serve decent crab sandwiches at reasonable prices. The beach itself is pebbled and narrow, backed by cream-coloured cliffs that give the place an unexpectedly dramatic feel. An hour here is plenty unless you're eating lunch or keen on photographing the boats in different light - photographers will linger well into afternoon.

Families get the most from it. Kids find the working boats and rock pools endlessly interesting, though you'll want decent shoes for the shingle. Walkers passing through should factor in time to scramble down - it's not a five-minute stop. The village sits between Helston and the Lizard Peninsula, making it an easy detour on a coastal drive.

Henry's Camp Site lies just 1.8 miles away if you're basing yourself in the area, or head slightly further to The Secret Garden Glamping for something more upmarket. Either way, Cadgwith works best as an afternoon outing rather than a day's destination, but it's one of those places that sticks with you longer than fancier spots.