Knavocks

The cliffs at Knavocks deliver proper coastal views without the crowds you'd find further down the Cornwall coast. It's a straightforward spot - a headland viewpoint near Hayle where you can stand and take in the sweep of the bay, watch the Atlantic light change across the water, and feel the wind do what it does best on exposed Cornish headlands.

There's not much to do here beyond standing and looking, which is rather the point. Walkers will appreciate it as a quick detour on a longer coastal path ramble. Photographers might linger longer when the light's right, especially in late afternoon. Families with young children will get maybe twenty minutes out of it before restlessness sets in - there's no café, no facilities, just the view and the space.

Access appears to be free and unrestricted. Allow half an hour if you're making it a deliberate stop, less if you're passing through. It works well as a punctuation mark during a holiday based at one of the nearby parks - Polmanter or Higher Trevaskis are both within easy driving distance - giving you a bit of coastal air without committing to a major outing.

Go early morning or late afternoon rather than midday if you want anything resembling solitude. The weather can turn quickly out here, so don't expect Mediterranean clarity. On a grey day the view's moody rather than spectacular, but that's Cornwall for you.