Mulberry Harbour Memorial

The Mulberry Harbour Memorial at Lee-on-the-Solent stands as a rather moving tribute to one of World War II's most audacious engineering feats. The artificial harbours - codenamed Mulberry - were prefabricated ports towed across the Channel after D-Day, allowing supplies to flood onto the beaches without needing a proper harbour. It's a genuinely clever piece of history, and this memorial does it justice without being preachy about it.

You get a clear explanation of how the thing actually worked, which is fascinating if you care about military engineering. The memorial itself is compact - you're not looking at hours here, more like 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much you want to read. It's free to visit, which is decent, and it makes sense as a stop rather than a destination in itself.

Walking history enthusiasts will find it rewarding, and anyone with an interest in WWII logistics will appreciate the detail. Kids might get bored unless they're genuinely into that period, to be honest.

If you're staying at Whitefield Forest Touring Park or one of the other caravan sites on the Isle of Wight, this is a perfectly reasonable afternoon visit. Lee-on-the-Solent itself is just across the water on the mainland, so you're not talking about a massive detour. Combine it with a walk along the seafront and a pub lunch - that makes for a proper day out rather than rushing through.