Hurst Point Lighthouse

The walk out to Hurst Point Lighthouse is what makes this worthwhile - not the lighthouse itself, to be honest. You head west from Totland Bay along the coastal path, cliffs rising up on one side, the Solent stretching out ahead, and after about two miles you reach this Victorian structure standing sentinel over one of the busier shipping channels in British waters.

It's a proper maritime landmark, built in 1865, and the setting is undeniably dramatic. The lighthouse sits at the tip of a shingle spit, so you're genuinely out on a point of land with water on three sides. On clear days you can see across to the mainland - Portsmouth's spire, sometimes even further. The walk itself takes most people an hour each way, which means you're looking at a half-day commitment if you want to actually sit with a flask and take it in.

Kids will find the walk more interesting than the destination if they're young - endless pebbles to throw, rock pools to poke about in. Older ones might appreciate the ship-spotting or the sheer exposure of the location. It's free to visit, though you can't go inside the lighthouse itself these days.

Stay at The Bay Colwell or Heathfield Farm Camping Park, both just a few minutes inland, and this becomes an easy morning out. The coastal path here is excellent - far less crowded than the eastern cliffs, and you genuinely feel away from it all. Worth the detour if you're already on the island's west side.