Botallack Mine & Engine House

Perched on the cliffs near Penzance, Botallack Mine is the sort of place that stops you dead. The engine house sits right on the edge - literally metres from the drop - and you can see why tin mining here was such brutal work. The stone building's been there since the 1830s, a monument to the men who descended into shafts that ran beneath the seabed itself. Extraordinary, really.

You can walk round the outside freely and peer into the engine house through the windows. There's enough detail visible to get a sense of what powered the mines - the Cornish beam engine that once sat inside. The coastal path runs right past it, so most people arrive on foot rather than driving. Allow thirty minutes if you're just popping by, longer if you're combining it with a proper coastal walk.

History enthusiasts will find this genuinely moving - it's industrial archaeology at its most raw. Families with young children might struggle if there's no formal interpretation or indoor shelter, and the exposed clifftop position means it's windy more often than not. But for walkers tackling the South West Coast Path, it's unmissable.

The nearest base is Lands End Camping & Glamping, about five miles away, which gives you easy access to this stretch of coast. Go on a clear day if you can - the view across the cliffs justifies the visit alone, and you'll actually see the scale of what the miners were up against.