The Count House, Botallack Mine

The rusted engine house of Botallack Mine clings to the cliffs near Penzance like a ghost refusing to leave. You'll spot it from the coastal path - a dramatic Victorian-era structure that once powered one of Cornwall's most productive tin mines, now just a skeletal frame against the Atlantic. The mine itself ran deep under the sea bed, which tells you something about the desperation and ingenuity of 19th-century miners. They'd descend hundreds of feet below the ocean floor to extract tin, and the whole operation was absolutely bonkers when you think about it.

Walking out to the Count House is the real point. The coastal path is proper stunning, and the ruins sit in an exposed spot that makes you understand why these miners were either fearless or desperate - probably both. It takes about 20 minutes on foot from the car park, and you'll get better views from the path than standing right at the structure itself. There's not much to do once you're there except look, think, and take photographs, but that's rather the appeal.

Historynauts will find it genuinely moving. Families with young kids might find it a bit underwhelming after the walk - there's no facilities, no interpretation, just the building itself. Winter's better than summer; fewer people, and the light's more dramatic.

Stay at Roselands Caravan Camping Park, just 2.3 miles away, and you've got a proper base for exploring the whole peninsula. Combine it with Levant Mine up the coast and you've got yourself a decent tin-mining afternoon.