Jacobs Ladder Beach Kiosk

The wooden kiosk at the top of Jacobs Ladder isn't much to look at from a distance, but it's the starting point for one of Devon's best coastal walks. You're standing on the cliffs near Budleigh Salterton, and from here the view spreads out properly - the red sandstone cliffs dropping away, that particular shade of blue-grey sea that means the weather's turning.

The ladder itself is a Victorian-era wooden staircase bolted into the cliff face, steep and a bit weathered but perfectly safe. Most people use it to get down to the beach rather than linger at the kiosk, though on a clear day it's worth stopping here first. The kiosk serves basic refreshments - tea, coffee, ice cream - nothing fancy, but you're paying for the location more than anything. It gets busy on summer weekends, quieter mid-week.

Walkers will appreciate this as part of a longer coastal route. The beach itself is shingly with red cliffs towering behind, good for an hour's ramble. Kids over seven or so will manage the ladder fine; younger ones find it a bit much. Allow 20 minutes for the kiosk stop itself, or two hours if you're combining it with a beach walk.

Staying at Ladram Bay Holiday Park puts you just down the road - you could do this as a morning outing. Cuckoo Down Farm Glamping is a bit further but still within easy range. Neither location is dramatically close to other major attractions, so treat this as part of a coastal day rather than a single destination.