Start Point Lighthouse

The lighthouse stands on a dramatic headland about three miles south of Kingsbridge, a proper working beacon that's been guiding ships away from Start Point's treacherous rocks since 1836. It's a striking red and white tower - impossible to miss once you've made the drive down to the end of the peninsula. The setting is what really gets you: sheer cliffs dropping away to the sea, coastal paths that stretch for miles in both directions, and on a clear day visibility that makes you understand why they needed the light in the first place.

This is walkers' territory rather than a sit-down tourist attraction. Most people park near the lighthouse and tackle the South West Coast Path, which is magnificent through this stretch. The walk itself is free, the lighthouse is free to view from outside, and you'll want to allow a couple of hours minimum if you're doing any decent walking. Come when the weather's clear - on a grey day the views lose their punch.

Walking families with school-age kids will find it worth the drive from Kingsbridge. Toddlers might struggle with the clifftop paths, and it's not somewhere you'd spend a full day unless you're serious about hiking. Stay at Start Bay Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite or Wilton Farm Camping just a few miles back, and you can head out here for an afternoon without a long commute. The lighthouse is most rewarding combined with a proper coastal walk rather than visited in isolation.