Villagers fed up of tourists’ drones urge ban after man filmed in bath

Fed up residents of “the prettiest village in England” are calling for a ban on tourists’ drones after one local reported being filmed while taking a bath.

“No drone zone” signs have now been plastered across the windows of homes in Castle Combe in the Cotswolds, as well as in the local church and the public car park.

Residents say the aircraft are constantly flying over their gardens and streets – and even by one man’s bathroom window.

Retired police officer Hilary Baker, 69, told The Sunday Times: “It’s almost like some of the visitors have lost their moral compass, they have lost their boundaries. When you go into your back garden and put your washing out and there is a drone hovering 20 yards above your head, it really quite rankles.

“Another neighbour had been working in his garden and jumped in the bath and there was a drone at his bathroom window, watching him in the bath. You just think, really?

“I should think on a monthly basis I will get verbal abuse [for asking them to stop].”

Police were reportedly called on a pilot who would not land his drone last month and verbally abused locals when they asked him to respect their privacy. It is claimed he filmed children playing in a back garden and flew up and down the high street hovering at first floor window level. The Independent has contacted Wiltshire Police about the incident.

Before the drones, tourists were overstepping boundaries in Castle Combe for years, according to residents, with signs seen asking visitors to not pick flowers or walk down homes’ side alleys.

But Ms Baker, who has lived in the Wiltshire village for more than three decades, said there has been a recent surge in tourists flying drowns for their social media channels, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the picturesque village is only home to a few hundred people, thousands of visitors descend on the area every week, having seen videos on various social media platforms. Often referred to as one of the “prettiest villages in England”, its historic centre is a particular draw as well as its chocolate box cottages.

Sisters Lydia Chia, 27, and Deborah Chia, 24, who were posing for photos on a trip from Singapore, told The Times: “I saw it on my friend’s Instagram and a little bit on TikTok. It’s really pretty. I pick where to visit based on pictures and aesthetics, and whether or not it’s Instagrammable.”

Chairman of the parish council Fred Winup found that just over half of tourists chose to visit Castle Combe after seeing it online, in a visitor survey he conducted last year.

The retired bank director told of a time a drone followed him along the high street “just five feet above my head”, adding: “It was a Californian [piloting it], he was a nice guy who didn’t know the rules and said he was sorry.”

Wiltshire council has now put a sign up in the public car park, following calls from the parish council. The warning to drone pilots reads: “If you use these devices where people can expect privacy, such as inside their home or garden, you are likely to be contravening CAA [Civil Aviation Authority] guidelines”.

The rules that are in place around drones, while complicated, typically require pilots to have the aircraft in their line of sight, to avoid getting close to crowds or building, and to respect people’s privacy.

With some devices having reportedly crashed into the church roof or resident’s trees, Mr Winup said: “People do lose control of drones and they could take an eye out.”

Obese patients denied knee and hip replacements to slash NHS costs

Obese patients are being denied life-changing hip and knee replacements and left in pain in a bid to slash spiralling NHS costs, The Independent can reveal.

One-third of NHS areas in England and multiple health boards in Wales are blocking patient access based on their body mass index (BMI).

The move, deemed “unfair” and “discriminatory”, goes against guidance from the National Institute for Care Excellence (Nice), which states BMI shouldn’t be used to restrict patients’ access to joint replacement surgery.

Patients are instead being told they must lose weight before they are eligible but waiting lists for NHS weight loss programmes have ballooned, with some people waiting up to three years to be seen while other services have shut, unable to cope with demand.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England criticised the policy, saying that denying patients care could cost them their mobility and cause their health to deteriorate, while Tory peer and former health minister James Bethell called on the government to do more to tackle the obesity crisis and end the “misery for millions”.

More than 64 per cent of adults in England were overweight or living with obesity in 2022-23, up from 63 per cent the year before, the most recent data from the Office for National Statistics shows.

The news comes as 7.4 million people were waiting for NHS treatments in March, while health service leaders have warned they are being forced to cut services to meet tough savings demands from the government.

The shocking revelation of surgery refusals was uncovered in an audit of referral criteria used by NHS bodies in England by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

It found 15 of 42 areas are restricting access to surgery by BMI, while The Independent discovered at least two health boards were doing the same in Wales. Thresholds varied by area, with some limiting access to those with a BMI of less than 35 (patients who are obese) or 40 (severely obese).

Dr Joanna McLaughlin, lead researcher and NIHR clinical lecturer at the University of Bristol, told The Independent that through her research, policymakers, commissioners and surgeons “acknowledged that NHS financial pressures were a main driver for BMI threshold policy use, and that they didn’t have confidence that the policies were based in evidence of health benefits”.

The research also found that NHS weight management support services were “inadequate” and could not ensure that those excluded from surgery could be supported to lose enough weight. Some patients had resorted to paying privately for surgery.

Dr McLaughlin said: “The variety in the BMI limits and in the requirements to prove patients have made attempts at weight loss chosen by different ICBs [integrated care boards] highlights the postcode lottery and inequalities created by these policies.”

Several ICBs identified by the study told The Independent that some patients with a high BMI could still access care if they passed an assessment, while others said they would need to prove they were “fit for surgery”.

But medics told The Independent that BMI should not be used as a sole restrictive measure.

Tim Mitchell, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said losing weight before surgery could reduce the risk of complications, and patients should be supported in this.

However, he said that “BMI alone should not be a barrier”, adding: “We must not penalise those who are less fit but still eligible for surgery, as this approach is unfair and ignores clinical guidance.”

Mark Bowditch, president of the British Orthopaedic Association, said: “Losing weight before surgery can be very difficult for people with limited mobility issues.

“Furthermore, obesity is more likely in people from certain socioeconomically deprived areas or ethnic groups, so care must be taken to avoid unintentionally disadvantaging certain patient groups.”

Deborah Alsina, chief executive of charity Versus Arthritis, said: “We hear heartbreaking stories from people desperate for the pain to stop, and accounts from people who face barriers to access even when they are referred for the surgery they urgently need.

“We frequently hear of people denied a referral, or being taken off the waiting list because of their weight, with body mass index being cited as a rationale. We must make sure this discriminatory practice doesn’t become standard.”

Lord Bethell said the row over BMI thresholds for operations showed the NHS “needs to make a choice” over preventing disease with weight-loss jabs, which cost £100 a month, or to treat obesity-related diseases, such as those that lead to hip operations, which can cost £10,000.

He said the government has a choice to either crack down on “Junk Food Britain” with a tough food strategy or to give the NHS a lot more money to pay for the consequences of a sick population.

He added: “It’s one or the other. Ducking this choice will cause misery for millions, the bankruptcy of our nation and the end of the Starmer administration.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said it expected ICBs to comply with Nice guidance. They added that the department’s Plan for Change for the NHS includes rolling out weight loss drugs to “those who need it most”.

Body of British hiker finally found months after he went missing

Search teams in Italy have finally found the body of a British hiker who went missing five months ago in the Dolomites in Italy.

The body of Aziz Ziriat, 36, was discovered lying in a rocky crevice on Saturday, around 400m below where the body of his friend, Sam Harris, 35, had previously been found.

The pair, who were both from London, went missing while hiking in January.

Mr Ziriat’s body was found in the Passo di Conca area by specialist search teams including a canine unit, Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue confirmed.

A spokesman said the rescuers “lowered themselves down the wall below the base of the slope, where the dog finally signaled the missing man’s body in a rocky crevice, where it had been covered by snow”.

He said Mr Ziriat’s family was immediately informed of the discovery.

Mr Harris’s body was discovered on January 8. The friends had not been seen or heard from since 1 January and did not check in for their flight home on 6 January.

Their last known location was near a mountain hut called Casina Dosson, close to the town of Tione Di Trento, near Riva Del Garda on Lake Garda.

Palace for Life, the official charity of Crystal Palace FC where Mr Ziriat worked as head of community engagement, previously released a statement which said colleagues were “profoundly sad” at his disappearance.

Describing his “real passion to make a difference,” it added: “Aziz has not only been incredibly impactful in his role, but also a kind, compassionate and generous individual who brought positivity and warmth to everyone he has worked with.”

Joe Stone, a university friend of Mr Ziriat, previously told the PA news agency that the pair were “experienced hikers” who liked to go off the grid, but “alarm bells were raised” when they failed to check in for their return flight.

Romesh Ranganathan ‘taking a step back’ from his career

Comedian Romesh Ranganathan has said he is “taking a step back” from his career “to be at home a bit more”.

The 47-year-old from Crawley, known for his Bafta-winning TV series with comic Rob Beckett – titled Rob And Romesh Vs, emphasised that he will not be retiring.

“I know that people sort of say I’m busy and I’m always like, trying to work and stuff. There is no strategy. There’s no game plan. I have no end game,” he told Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs.

“There’s no vision board or anything like that. (I’m) just doing whatever feels good.”

He added: “I do feel like I’m sort of settling into winding things up, like not winding things up, but I’m taking a step back.

“I want to be at home a bit more. And by the way, this is not an announcement of retirement, but I do feel like, relatively recently, this is quite fortuitous that we’re talking about this at the time that we are, because I have just hit this period of thinking I am probably going to just be a bit more measured in what I do going forward.

“I think I might take a bigger break between bits. I’ve told you, I’ve not hit the thing yet, maybe this next thing could be it, but it’s not going to be it if I don’t go off and just live life.”

Ranganathan also reflected on the time he spent as a maths teacher, before his current career, and said it was more stressful than working in comedy.

“There wasn’t a single day of that job that I didn’t feel completely fulfilled,” he said.

“I felt very stressed. It’s the most stressed I’ve ever been in my life actually.

“There’s not been a single day of my comedy career that’s even come close to the stress that I felt as a teacher. I cannot speak highly enough of teachers and teaching and how I loved that job.”

Alongside his stand-up, the comedian is known for presenting the game show The Weakest Link and starring in the BBC One sitcom Avoidance.

He also starred in the BBC Two documentary series The Misadventures Of Romesh Ranganathan and BBC Three’s Asian Provocateur, which saw him trace his family roots.

In 2024, he took over Claudia Winkleman’s Saturday morning slot on BBC Radio 2 and he also presents Romesh Ranganathan: For The Love Of Hip Hop on the station.

Magician named as Britain’s Got Talent winner

The winner of Britain’s Got Talent has been announced, with Magician Harry Moulding taking home £250,000.

The illusionist fell to his knees as presenters Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly declared him champion.

He later told Ant and Dec: “I can’t believe what is going on. Thank you, thank you everyone so so much. I genuinely feel like everyone has been behind me. This has been the most incredible journey.”

The Blackpool-based magician performed earlier in the night and stunned the judges by correctly guessing which cards they had chosen from a pack. To add to the impressive feat he did all of this while jumping out of a plane.

He was fast-tracked to the final after guest judge KSI hit the golden buzzer in the semi-final, which also saw him propose to his girlfriend.

Moulding, who beat nine other finalists to reign supreme, will also perform at the Royal Variety Show as part of the prize.

Dance group The Blackouts was named the runner-up, with nine-year-old gymnast Binita Chetry coming in third place.

The final itself, which aired live on Saturday (31 May), was one of the most diverse in years.

It included Scottish singer-songwriter Vinnie McKee, Swiss dance group The Blackouts, 11-year-old guitarist Olly Pearson and supermarket worker Stacey Leadbetter, whose singing skills saw her put through by guest judge KSI.

Elsewhere, drag queen opera singer Jasmine Rice also competed alongside alternative dance group Ping Pong Pang, stand-up comic Joseph Charm, and Hear Our Voice, a choir group whose members were victims of the Post Office scandal as depicted in ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

Cowell told the group after their performance: “If you won, it would be an F You to a certain group of people to deserve it.”

The programme, which was broadcast live from the Hammersmith Apollo after a week of five semi-finals, also saw performances from singer Stacey Leadbeatter and dance group Ping Pong Pang.

A wildcard act introduced into the live final was revealed to be singers Han & Fran, who performed an Abba medley.

There was also a small bit of drama that saw Ant and Dec briefly pause the show as they weren’t ready for young musician Olly Pearson’s performance.

“It was going so well but we’re going to have to have a quick chat with you judges because we’re not quite ready on stage yet for Olly,” McPartlin said.

Elsewhere, Donnelly had to apologise after judge Bruno Tonioli swore during his reaction to comedian Joseph Charm’s performance. “We were just p***ing…” said the 69 before pausing himself and correcting his comments. He then issued an apology for swearing.

“Apologies if you were offended by Bruno’s slip of the tongue there,” added Donnelly.

The finalists of the 18th series of ITV’s talent contest were made up of magicians, dancers and choir singers under the watchful eye of judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and Bruno Tonioli.

This season of the show – its 18th, after originally premiering in 2007 – started back in February.

Win a luxury ticket package for two to this year’s Wilderness Festival

Music fans can win a luxury package for two to this year’s Wilderness Festival, all courtesy of Audi.

Wilderness returns this year to the picturesque nature reserve at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, and will be headlined by rock band Supergrass, Nineties rave duo Orbital, and Brit Award-winning, Grammy-nominated indie-rock duo Wet Leg.

Completing the headliner lineup are Basement Jaxx, who are making their return to live shows for the first time in over a decade, as they celebrate the 25th anniversary of their groundbreaking album, Remedy.

The winner will receive a pair of complimentary festival tickets and boutique accommodation in a luxury cabin for two. They will also be treated to an Audi Kitchen experience and, for the ultimate luxury, your own private chauffeur to take you and your guest to the festival and return journey.

Enter the prize draw here.

Wilderness Festival is known for its eclectic music lineup, which this year includes performances from pop singer Lapsley, singer-songwriter Bess Atwell, Scottish musician Jacob Alon and DJ Craig Charles.

At The Sanctuary and Spa, guests will discover an oasis of calm, whether that means taking part in disco yoga or a workshop to explore your sensuality. Highlights include boating, massage treatments, sauna rituals, hot tubs, a wild sauna, Wim Hof method ice baths and wild swimming.

Gourmet food offerings can be found at Ben Quinn’s long table banquet in the woods, a once-in-a-lifetime experience set in the woods and lit by chandeliers. There, Quinn and his team will serve up a feast of flavour cooked right in front of you five courses of carefully curated, responsibly sourced, local and seasonal ingredients.

Elsewhere, attendees can join a number of talks, comedy sets and conversations, from Food Stories with Jay Rayner to a live recording of Jamie Laing’s podcast, Great Company.

Comedian, writer and NHS doctor Matthew Hutchinson will share a sharp and moving look at life on the frontline of British healthcare, while cultural historian Tiffany Watt Smith will uncover a bold and fascinating alternative history of female friendship.

The prize draw will open for entries at 3pm (BST) on 7 May 2025 and close at 3pm BST on 17 June 2025. Only one entry per person is permitted for the Prize Draw. Terms and conditions apply.

Ban smartphones in schools, PM told – by the country that’s done it

Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to consider the “overwhelming evidence” from New Zealand to consider banning smart phones from schools.

In an exclusive interview with The Independent, New Zealand’s education minister Erica Stanford said she has heard “overwhelmingly positive feedback” about the world-leading phone ban in her country, with more engagement and less cyberbullying in schools.

The New Zealand National Party government now hopes to take it further and introduce a ban on social media for under-16s.

It comes as Sir Keir’s government is under increasing pressure to introduce similar measures in English schools, with the Tories and campaign groups pressing for a ban.

New Zealand’s government introduced a ban on mobile phones in schools last year.

Ms Stanford told The Independent: “I’ve been told students are much more focused on their learning in class, they are engaging with their peers, reading more books, spending more time playing outside and there are fewer reports of cyber-bullying.

“I am committed to ensuring children are not only safe but remain focused in the classroom. Taking away the distraction of cell phones ensures better engagement in class and improves student achievement and wellbeing.”

In the UK, a recent push by the Tories to add an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would require schools to prohibit phone use during the school day, was shut down by the government.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has urged ministers to reconsider after Sir Keir Starmer labelled the amendment as “completely unnecessary”, claiming “almost every school” already bans phones.

Ms Badenoch claimed: “The prime minister is wrong: not all schools do this. Only one in 10 schools is smartphone-free.”

Despite the government’s stance, education secretary Bridget Phillipson has commissioned a review into “whether schools in England are banning children’s phones and whether bans are effective”.

In New Zealand, the National Party’s election promise was greeted with scepticism, criticism, and an assumption that students would become sneakier. Now, it’s being praised by students and educators.

Anna Wilson, acting principle of Wellington East Girls’ College in the nation’s capital, said the state-funded school has seen only positive results from the ban.

She said: “We see a lot more social interaction at break times, such as playing cards, volleyball on the courts, joining in on lunchtime activities and clubs that are student-led.”

The nationwide ban came into effect in April last year, but Ms Wilson’s school introduced the policy slightly ahead of the nationwide rollout, embedding it firmly into school life from the start of the year, “and the momentum continued across the year.”

Although they took charge with the ban, she said, “the government policy across all schools was helpful as collectively each school was doing it at their campuses at the same time”.

Fred Oppenhuis, head prefect of Wellington College, an all-boys secondary school, told The Independent the ban had a positive impact on students.

He said: “I think that the phone ban has significantly increased engagement and efficiency in class because students know that if they check their phone or bring it out without teacher permission, there are well-known consequences.”

Oppenhuis said the initial reaction came with concerns as the thought of not having a phone at school was “daunting”. But, he said it didn’t take long for students to adjust, and most students said it wasn’t as bad as they had anticipated.

One of the loudest advocates for phone-free schools has been Jonathan Haidt, a prominent US social psychologist and author of the bestselling book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.

She said that two years after schools go completely phone-free, they always seem to report big drops in disciplinary problems and increases in student engagement in class.

“My favourite outcome: teachers and administrators say ‘we hear laughter in the hallway again’.”

The New Zealand ban applies to all state schools and expects cell phones to be off and away during day, however, schools are allowed to decide how to enforce it.

Mobile phones can only be used for educational purposes, however, there is an exemption for students who need their phones for learning challenges or health reasons. Parents and guardians must contact their child by going to the school office.

However, some doubts have been raised by the Labour Party in New Zealand.

Willow-Jean Prime, the New Zealand Labour opposition’s spokeswoman for education, told The Independent: “It is important young people are able to focus at school, and phones can be a distraction; but on the flip side, many students need cell phones, for example for accessibility reasons.

“In New Zealand, it is individual school boards of trustees that set the rules for the operation of schools. Schools have always been able to ban cell phones at school if they believe this is appropriate, and many already did.”

Inspired to walk the ‘Salt Path’? These are the best bits

Raynor Winn’s debut novel, The Salt Path, first captured the hearts of readers when it was published back in 2018 and quickly became a Sunday Times bestseller. The memoir, which has been turned into a film now in cinemas, tells the story of everyone’s worst nightmare. Not only did she and her husband, Moth, lose their home and B&B business at their Welsh farm after an investment went wrong, but they truly hit rock bottom when Moth was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disease, corticobasal degeneration.

Without any other options, they came up with the idea of embarking on an adventure, by walking the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path and seeing where it took them, figuratively and physically.

With almost 300 miles of it in Cornwall, it begins in Minehead in Somerset, traverses along the north Devonshire and Cornish rugged coasts, and heads back along the south coast of the counties into Dorset, finishing at South Haven Point in Poole. It’s a mammoth walk that initially seems almost totally unachievable for them, considering Moth’s ill health, along with having such little money that they have to live off packet noodles, and wild camp.

In the film, locations aren’t given, and instead, geography is only marked by the number of miles walked, focusing on the idea of the gravity of the challenge, and how location doesn’t matter to them. Instead, it’s all about keeping moving.

As one of the UK’s best coastal hiking routes, the South West Coast Path can be taken at a much slower pace, and walkers usually complete it in sections over many years. So if you’re inspired to pull on your walking boots, here are some of the best sections along the famous route to stomp along, as well as places to rest your weary head, that don’t include the need for a tent.

Some of the most memorable – and instantly recognisable – scenery in the film comes from the little 14th-century village of Clovelly perched 400ft up on the north Devon coast. Clovelly isn’t actually on the coast path itself, it’s just off it, as one of the UK’s only privately owned villages. It’s been privately owned by the Hamlyn family and their descendants since Elizabethan times, which means you have to pay to enter (£9.90 for adults). The current owner is John Rous, and it’s this entrance fee that’s allowed it to become a maintained relic of a time gone by that’s still inhabited and thriving and, most importantly for Cornwall, hasn’t been taken over by holiday lets as second homes aren’t allowed.

The walk down to the harbour isn’t the easiest, as not only is it very steep, but it’s entirely cobbled too. Too steep even for cars, years ago villagers came up with the idea of using sledges to transport goods up and down the slope. Years ago, donkeys were used, but now you’ll find them in the stables at the top of the village.

Back on the path, this section that’s part of the Hartland Heritage coast is truly spectacular with soaring ascents, making it renowned as one of the hardest parts, but the views make it well worth it.

In the little village of Woolfardisworthy, locally known as Woolsery, is the Collective, a complex made up of a pub, fish and chip shop, local shop, farm and accommodation. The area has been given a new lease of life thanks to Michael and Xochi Birch. Millennial readers will remember their social media platform Bebo, which they sold. They then swapped Silicon Valley for north Devon, as Michael’s family had lived here for 600 years. The Farmers Arms pub has excellent food, including hogget from their own farm too. There are rooms, suites and cottages over the road.

Doubles from £275 night; woolsery.com/stay

Read more: Wild camping for women: A Dartmoor expedition

Perhaps the most ethereal villages on the entire coast path are Boscastle and Tintagel, which are only about 3.5 miles apart and will likely take about five hours to walk between. The fishing village of Boscastle sits in a deep rugged valley that’s incredibly dramatic and has an air of mysticism to it. Its windswept landscapes inspired poet and author Thomas Hardy, while it’s also home to the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, with thousands of witchy books, spells and paraphernalia.

Walking out from Boscastle’s pretty harbour, pick up the coast path along the clifftops where the white watchtower is perched. Just under a mile from Tintagel, if it’s a sunny day, drop down to Bossiney beach, a fabulous little sandy cove, for a swim.

The section is another fairly challenging part of the path, but you’ll see Tintagel Castle in the distance before descending into the village. It’s regarded as the birthplace of King Arthur and is steeped in myth and legend. From the heart of the village, it’s another steep walk down to the ruins of the castle (there are Land Rovers for those who prefer a quick ride) which is owned by English Heritage and costs £16.80 for adults.

The reward is worth it, thanks to the views walking over the footbridge, suspended 58 metres above the sea, over to the medieval ruin. Look out below at the craggy inlets, and Merlin’s Cave, a blowhole that makes a loud whooshing sound as the waves wash in as the tide comes in. On the other side, don’t miss Gallos (which translates to “power” in Cornish) the life-size bronze statue that’s been inspired by King Arthur.

Just two miles from Tintagel is Kudhva (Cornish for “hideout”), a glamping site with futuristic-looking angular treehouse pods that sit among the treetops, with ladders up to the entrances. The whole site, which is set in a disused quarry, is about connecting with nature, from swimming in the lake to stargazing.

Double pods from £137 a night; kudhva.com

Read more: Best places in Cornwall to avoid the summer crowds

In the film, one of North Cornwall’s biggest towns, Newquay, is portrayed as a rather down-and-out place full of delinquents. It did have a reputation as the place to celebrate finishing school exams, and being full of stag and hen dos – but now this is firmly behind it. It’s always had some of the UK’s best beaches and has been the home of British surfing since the Sixties, hosting the championships at Watergate Bay.

From Watergate Bay, walk about an hour north to the beautiful small town of Mawgan Porth. Once it was only locals who knew about this wide open beach and great waves, but now it has been found by celebrities and it’s changing quickly. Or for a longer hike, head south along the coast to Perranporth, which is about 4.5 hours of walking.

Cornwall’s first aparthotel, SeaSpace bridges the best bits of a hotel and an apartment. It’s right on the clifftops above Watergate Bay in Newquay and has one- to three-bedroom apartments. For the best views, book a room at the front of the building which looks over the sea. Families will love the Miami-inspired 19-metre pool, and you can also hire a surfboard and hit the waves that are just a hop, skip and jump away.

Read more: Best hotels in Newquay for surfing and Cornish coastal views

At the southern tip of Cornwall on Land’s End peninsula are some of Cornwall’s best preserved tin mines. The industry was the beating heart of the county in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was the world’s biggest tin exporter, making the county extremely wealthy. Unsurprisingly, it’s now designated a world heritage site.

Starting from Pendeen lighthouse, heading south will take you past the Geevor tin mine museum (one of the last mines to close in 1990), the Levant mine, Crown’s Engine House and Botallack mine (which features in both the 2015 Poldark series and the Rick Stein’s Cornwall series), as well as the Wheal Edward Engine House.

The rolling cliffs here are full of drama, and some headlands have very narrow paths, which almost feels like walking on a tightrope; they’re so narrow that they likely won’t be there for too much longer, so tread with care.

Slightly further back up the coast is Gurnard’s Head hotel, an unmissable landmark thanks to its bright gorse-yellow painted exterior that’s right on the clifftop. The former coaching inn is still a traditional cosy pub (refreshingly, there are no TVs in the rooms), and it’s just a short walk to the coast path.

Doubles from £167.50; gurnardshead.co.uk

Read more: The best things to do in Cornwall, from surfing to seafood feasts

Along this little stretch of east Devon’s coastline, there are two of the county’s most picturesque beaches. Starting in the twee 14th-century village of Branscombe, where the local thatched pub has taken over much of the village, it doesn’t get much more bucolic than this. From the beach at Branscombe, with its dark reddish cliffs and beach huts, it’s about 4.5 miles to Beer.

At Beer, the pebbled beach is flanked on either side by the south coast’s chalky cliffs. At the end of each day, the fishing fleet is hauled up out of the water onto the pebbles waiting to return again the following day. At the top of the beach, near the sloped entrance, and just 100 metres from the water, is a hole-in-the-wall fish market selling the day’s catch.

Slightly inland, near the village of Southleigh, is Glebe House. Run by Hugo and Olive, they’re paying homage to the Italian agriturismo model of B&Bs. Plenty of the food they serve comes from their smallholding, they organise food experiences with nearby producers, and Olive’s eye for colourful, vintage-inspired artsy interiors is infectious.

Doubles from £159 night; glebehousedevon.co.uk

Read more: What to do when it rains on holiday in Cornwall

This final walk comes in right near the end of the South West Coast Path, which officially ends at Shell Bay on South Haven Point in Poole, just opposite Sandbanks and Brownsea Island in prime Enid Blyton territory. Part of the Jurassic Coast world heritage site, it’s far quieter here than the much shorter Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door section further east.

This is the longest section featured here, covering just over nine miles, from Kimmeridge Bay to Swanage. Walking along the chalk ridge, this section is one for budding archaeologists which keen fossil hunters will also love as it’s an area people have lived and hunted in since the Mesolithic period, about 6,000 years ago. Views from the aptly named “Heaven’s Gate” are some of the best – inland looks to the Purbeck Hills, and over to Corfe Castle, and it offers excellent views back over the coastline. A fitting view to end on.

Looking a little like The Pig hotels, The Canford is on the other side of the English Channel and is just a short ferry ride over. It has chic countryside-inspired rooms in heritage colours that sit above the pub.

Read more: The best spa hotels in Dorset