Jacob’s Ladder beach, Sidmouth

The red cliffs at Sidmouth drop straight into shingle, and Jacob's Ladder is the quickest way down to the beach without scrambling. It's a proper Victorian staircase carved into the rock face - all 150-odd steps of it - which gets you from the clifftop to the shore in under five minutes. Worth doing for the novelty alone, though the actual beach here is fairly narrow and the steps themselves are steep enough to make you think twice on the way back up.

Walkers will find it useful as a shortcut to the wider stretches of beach towards Budleigh Salterton. Families with young kids should know it's a real workout going back the way you came - not ideal if your lot are already tired. The sea views from halfway down are decent, and the geology buffs genuinely enjoy seeing the red sandstone and darker bands of shale up close.

Access is free and unrestricted. Allow twenty minutes to descend, have a poke around, and get back up again. Early morning is quieter. The steps can be slippery when wet, so choose your moment.

If you're based at Ladram Bay Holiday Park just down the coast, you could easily walk here along the beach at low tide. The nearby parks - Oakdown Touring and Cuckoo Down Farm Glamping are all within easy reach - make this a convenient add-on to a longer coastal walk rather than a destination in itself.