St Hilary

The church itself is what draws you in - a proper medieval structure sitting quietly in the village of St Hilary, just inland from the north Cornwall coast. Built in the 15th century, it's got that solid, no-nonsense feel you get with Cornish parish churches: sturdy granite walls, a decent tower, and the kind of peaceful churchyard where time actually seems to slow down. The interior's worth a look if you can get in - carved bench ends and that particular smell of old stone and furniture polish that takes you back.

Historically minded types will get more from it than casual visitors. You're not looking at grand architecture or famous monuments here, just honest, working religious history. The graveyard itself tells stories if you're into reading old headstones, which some people are.

It's free to visit, though opening hours aren't publicised - best to check locally when you arrive in St Hilary itself. Allow twenty minutes, half an hour tops, unless you're really keen on rubbings or photography. The real appeal is combining it with a proper coastal walk. You're only a few miles from the north coast, and the village sits nicely between Foxglove Field Glamping (less than a mile away) and St Ives Holiday Village if you're based at either. It's the sort of thing you'd tick off while exploring the wider area rather than a destination in itself. Fine stop on a grey Cornish afternoon, but don't rearrange your itinerary for it.