Splash Point

The red and white striped lighthouse at Splash Point has been guiding ships into Newhaven since 1878, and it's still one of the most photographed spots along the Sussex coast. You get a proper sense of Victorian engineering standing beneath it, watching the sea churn against the rocks below. There's a working lighthouse here too, which means you're looking at actual maritime infrastructure, not just a pretty facade.

Walkers get the most from this one. The clifftop position gives you views across the English Channel that stretch for miles on a clear day, and the surrounding coastal path is excellent for a two or three hour ramble. You can walk east towards the cliffs above Seaford, or west towards the Cuckmere Valley. The shale underfoot can be slippery after rain, so proper shoes matter.

It costs nothing to visit and there's no entrance fee or opening hours to worry about - you can rock up whenever. Allow an hour minimum if you're just popping by for photos, longer if you're combining it with a coastal walk. The town of Newhaven is barely ten minutes away, useful for grabbing a coffee beforehand.

If you're staying at Three Ponds Holiday Park nearby, this works brilliantly as a half-day excursion. Bring binoculars for watching the Channel traffic and keep an eye on tide times if you're planning to explore the beach below. The wind can be fierce up here, so dress accordingly.