Porthcawl Lighthouse

The red and white striped tower stands on the rocky outcrop at Porthcawl's eastern point, guiding ships past the Bristol Channel for over a century. It's a proper working lighthouse still, though you can't go inside - this is very much a look-from-the-outside job. What you get instead is a bracing walk out to the headland, decent views across the water towards Devon on clear days, and the chance to stand somewhere with genuine purpose.

It works best as part of a longer seafront wander rather than a standalone visit. The surrounding coastal path is the real draw - you'll get rock pools to explore, a pebble beach, and on windy days, the sort of dramatic sky that makes you remember why you came to Wales. Kids tend to get a kick out of spotting it from different angles along the promenade.

If you're based at Trecco Bay Holiday Park just up the coast, it's an easy twenty-minute stroll to reach the lighthouse and well worth factoring into a morning. The town itself is modest - chip shops, a fairground, the usual seaside bits - but the lighthouse marks the point where Porthcawl stops feeling like a tired resort and starts feeling like proper coastline.

Free to visit, open all hours since it's outdoors. Go at low tide if you want to explore the rocks properly, though watch your footing. Don't expect a gift shop or interpretation boards - this is about the walk, the air, and that stripe-painted tower doing its job.