The Beacon

The walk up to The Beacon near Penzance is proper steep, but once you're standing at the summit, you understand why people bother. The views sweep across Mount's Bay - you can see St Michael's Mount on a clear day, and on a really good morning, the Lizard Peninsula stretches out to the east. It's a working lighthouse, so don't expect to go inside, but the walk itself is the point here.

Allow yourself forty minutes to an hour from the car park, depending on fitness and how many times you stop to catch your breath on the way up. The path gets muddy after rain, so proper footwear matters. This isn't a ramble for small children or anyone who finds steep gradients difficult - the incline doesn't mess about.

History types will appreciate that this has been a beacon point for centuries. It's the real deal, not some heritage centre with a gift shop.

Staying at Camp De Lank or Roselands, both just over a mile away, puts you close enough to do this as a morning outing before heading to Penzance itself. If you're based further out at Lands End Camping or Trewithen Farm, it's still a reasonable drive - twenty minutes or so. The walk pairs well with a beach visit or a wander around Mousehole on the same day. Worth doing once if you're in the area and you've got the legs for it, but don't make a special trip just for this one.