Clinging to the cliffs near Levant, this dramatic complex of mine workings is one of the most atmospheric sights from Cornwall's industrial past. The main mine stack, properly known as the Crowns, teeters picturesquely on the cliff edge above a cauldron of boiling surf. It's famously photogenic and a frequent filming location, most recently used by the BBC in Poldark. The National Trust website has a 1-mile looped walking trail taking in Botallack.
During its 19th-century heyday, the mine was one of the county's richest and deepest, producing 14,500 tonnes of tin and 20,000 tonnes of copper ore from shafts that snaked nearly half a mile out to sea. Look out for the Count House, which was once home to the captain of the mine.
