Newhaven Lighthouse

The red and white striped tower standing guard at Newhaven has been warning ships away from the Fife coast since 1885, and it's still doing its job today. It's not the most dramatic lighthouse you'll ever see - it's relatively modest in height - but there's something rather satisfying about the simplicity of it, perched where the Forth narrows and the shipping lanes get properly busy.

You can walk right up to it. The setting's the real draw here rather than any interior visit - this is a working beacon, not a heritage centre with gift shop nonsense. The surrounding area gives proper views across the Forth towards Edinburgh and the Lothian coast, especially on a clear day. On a rough afternoon with the wind coming in off the water, you feel why the thing was built in the first place.

Burntisland's your nearest town, just a couple of miles away, and it's handy for stretching your legs before or after. Families with young kids get about an hour's entertainment out of it - the novelty wears off once they've circled the tower and thrown a stone or two. Walkers will find it a pleasant addition to a longer coastal ramble. History types might poke around for twenty minutes taking photographs, but it's not going to occupy an afternoon.

If you're based at one of the nearby holiday parks - Pettycur Bay, Sandhills, or Kinghorn Harbour - this is a quick detour worth making. Free to access, no faffing about with opening hours. Go when the light's good; the Forth's moody enough that you want to see it properly.