Cannington Viaduct

The viaduct itself is a proper piece of Victorian engineering - that moment when you round the bend near Bridport and spot it spanning the valley is genuinely arresting. Built in the 1850s, it's a six-arch stone structure that carries the railway across a substantial drop, and from certain angles the proportions are just right enough to make you understand why the Victorians thought they'd cracked something important.

You can't actually walk across it - it's live railway line - but the views from below and the surrounding footpaths are well worth an hour of your time. The approaches are pleasant enough, with decent vantage points on both sides of the valley. It's the sort of thing that appeals more to walkers and railway enthusiasts than it will to small children, though teenagers might find the engineering feat moderately interesting.

There's no admission charge because there's nothing to admit to, really. You're looking at it from public paths. Best visited midweek if you can swing it, simply because the car park (such as it is) gets busy on weekends.

If you're staying at Seadown Holiday Park or Newlands Holiday Park - both within a few miles - it makes a natural stop on a ramble rather than a destination in itself. Pair it with a walk into Bridport itself, which has proper charm, and you've got a solid morning sorted. The Dorset Hideaway is a bit further out but also within reach if you're looking for a longer exploration of the area.