Porth Island

The rocky outcrop at Porth is less a destination and more a geographical full stop. At high tide it's genuinely an island - cut off by the Atlantic, dramatic, photogenic if you catch the light right. At low tide it's a walk across the sand, which rather deflates the whole mystique.

What you actually do here is walk around it, maybe climb a bit, take photos of the striped geology if that sort of thing appeals. There's a small beach either side, and if you're staying at one of the caravan parks hugging Porth Beach - Sunhaven's the decent one round here, just 1.2 miles away - it's an easy morning potter before breakfast. The rock formations are worth a look: proper Cornish slate cliffs, weathered and dramatic.

Historically minded visitors will find scraps of military interest - there was defensive work here during the Second World War, though not much remains to see. Families with young kids might manage twenty minutes before restlessness sets in. For keen walkers heading along the Cornish coast path, Porth Island is barely a detour.

Go when the weather's decent and the light's working in your favour - late afternoon tends to work better than midday glare. Free, obviously. It won't steal your entire afternoon, but as a break from the holiday park or a warm-up walk before tackling Watergate Bay or Crantock Beach further down the coast, it does the job. Don't expect solitude in summer.