Lizard Point

Lizard Point is the most southerly point of mainland Britain, a headland of sheer cliffs above one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and long notorious for shipwrecks. Since a young visitor found a human tooth, Trust archaeologists have uncovered burials here that may be shipwreck victims. A mild maritime climate and unusual geology support rare plants, and Cornish choughs breed close by. In season, volunteers at the Wildlife Watchpoint lend binoculars for spotting grey seals, dolphins and basking sharks, while the Lizard Wireless Station at Bass Point, a mile east, tells how Marconi received the first over-the-horizon wireless signal. Reviewers single out the rugged cliffs, the wildlife and the cafes, one claiming to be the most southerly in the country. The car park machine takes cash only, or use the JustPark app, and visitors note that the path down to the beach is steep for little legs. Dogs are welcome all year on a lead. An easy mile-long trail from the car park loops past the lighthouse.