Sambourne and Middletown lighthouse

The lighthouse stands unexpected on the Warwickshire landscape - a red and white striped tower that shouldn't really be here at all, given that the nearest sea is about as far away as you can get in England. It's one of those brilliantly odd British curiosities that makes you wonder what possessed someone to build it in the first place.

Sambourne and Middletown Lighthouse sits near Alcester and marks what was once a substantial junction on the Worcester to Birmingham Canal. Built as a navigational aid rather than a coastal warning, it's a proper piece of industrial heritage that most people driving past completely miss. The tower itself is striking - that distinctive red and white banding means it's visible for miles across the relatively flat terrain.

There's not a huge amount to do here beyond admiring the structure and taking a photograph, mind you. It's not the sort of place you'll spend hours exploring. History types and industrial archaeology enthusiasts will get more from it than casual visitors, but if you're staying at Wixford Grange nearby, it's absolutely worth a quick detour. The whole thing makes more sense when you understand the canal's importance to moving goods around the Midlands - this lighthouse guided barges just as reliably as any coastal beacon guided ships.

Access appears to be from the roadside, and there's no charge for viewing it. Allow twenty minutes maximum, unless you're really keen on canal history. Early morning light hits the stripes beautifully for photography.