Lighthouse

The Lighthouse sits just outside Ely, a sturdy octagonal tower that's equal parts church and local oddity. Built in the 18th century, it's one of those structures you'd miss entirely if someone didn't point it out - which is precisely what makes it worth a detour if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks like Heatherbield Lodge or Hatters Meadows.

What you're looking at is a working church disguised as a lighthouse, complete with a proper beacon chamber at the top. It's small, frankly peculiar, and entirely captivating if you've got an eye for Cambridgeshire's stranger architectural choices. The tower's octagonal design isn't accidental either - it was meant to guide barges along the local waterways, serving both spiritual and practical purposes simultaneously.

Families with older kids who appreciate the unusual will find it interesting rather than thrilling. It's not a full tourist attraction with facilities or lengthy visits - more a case of turning up, taking a look from the outside, and puzzling over why someone decided a church needed a lighthouse. The real charm is in the walk itself. Ely's cathedral dominates the town centre, but this little tower on the periphery tells a different story about the Fens and how people lived here centuries ago.

If you're based at Trelander or Hatters Meadows, it's a pleasant ramble. Worth the walk, certainly. Don't expect lengthy opening hours or visitor infrastructure - just a proper oddity standing in the flattest landscape imaginable.