St Mary the Virgin Church, Brancaster

The church sits on a slight rise in Brancaster, looking out towards the salt marshes and that vast Norfolk sky. St Mary the Virgin is a proper medieval affair - flint and stone, with a tower that's been guiding locals and passing travellers for centuries. Inside, it's all high ceilings and pale light through the windows, the sort of space where you can actually hear yourself think.

This is one for the architecture types and anyone doing the slower kind of Norfolk holiday. The church rewards a proper look rather than a quick snap for Instagram. The interior has decent medieval features if you know what you're looking at, and the setting - right on the edge of the village with views towards the coast - is genuinely worth the visit on its own. It won't take you hours, but it's the kind of stop that makes sense when you're cycling or walking around this stretch of coast.

Brancaster itself is quiet and very much working Norfolk - harbour, boats, that sort of thing - rather than a resort town. King's Lynn is about fifteen miles inland if you need proper facilities. If you're based at one of the nearby camping spots like Deepdale or the glamping options scattered around the area, it's an easy detour. The church is free to visit, though hours aren't fixed - it's worth checking locally or arriving during daylight. Combine it with a walk along the marshes or a meal at one of the village pubs for a genuine slice of Norfolk life.