Helston

Helston sits at the top of the Lizard Peninsula, the point where Cornwall narrows into its last stretch of cliff and cove before the sea takes over entirely. This is a landscape shaped by that ending: serpentine rock cut into dramatic coves, wide sandy bays backed by dunes, and a coastline that turns wilder the further south you travel. Inland, the country softens into farmland, but it's the coast that defines the area, with turquoise water at Kynance Cove and Poldhu Cove Beach standing out even among Cornwall's better-known beaches.

The coves themselves are the main draw. Kynance Cove and Kennack Sands are made for a day of swimming and rock-pooling, while Cadgwith Cove keeps its working fishing-village feel, with boats pulled up on the shingle. Further round, Coverack is known for its windsurfing centre, taking advantage of the open water and reliable wind along this stretch. Inland and further afield, Newton Equestrian and Cornish Camels offer something a little different, and the Cornish Seal Sanctuary is a long-standing draw for families exploring beyond the beaches.

Helston works well as a base precisely because it sits at the gateway to all this: close enough to reach the peninsula's coves and villages easily, but with its own market-town character to come back to in the evening. Whether you're here for the beaches, the coast path, or simply the particular light and openness of England's most southerly ground, the landscape does most of the talking.