St Michael's Mount Castle

The causeway appears only when the tide goes out, turning St Michael's Mount from a proper island into something you can actually walk to. It's a striking sight - a castle sitting on top of a rocky island just off the coast near Crowlas, looking like something from a fairy tale that someone forgot to finish building.

The castle itself is 12th century at heart, though it's been added to and fiddled with by various owners over the centuries. You climb up through narrow passages and emerge into rooms with views across Mount's Bay - it's worth the leg work, though the steps aren't for anyone with dodgy knees. The chapel at the top is small and atmospheric in that way old places can be when you've trudged up to reach it.

It's run by the National Trust, so expect to pay entry and find it reasonably well organised. Allow two to three hours if you're doing the walk across the causeway, exploring the castle, and not rushing back. Check the tide times first - getting stranded isn't the romantic adventure it sounds like.

Histoy enthusiasts will find it genuinely interesting rather than just pretty. Families with younger kids might find the climb steep and the interior a bit sparse compared to more visitor-friendly castles. If you're staying at one of the nearby parks like St. Ives Holiday Village or Polmanter, it's an easy half-day trip that actually justifies leaving the holiday park.