St Mary the Virgin

The church sits in Staindrop village, a handful of miles south of Bishop Auckland, and it's the sort of place that stops you mid-walk. St Mary the Virgin is medieval through and through - we're talking 12th century foundations, though the building you see now has been worked on repeatedly over the centuries. The interior is surprisingly grand for a village church: soaring stone arches, proper stained glass, and enough history embedded in the walls to keep an architecture nerd occupied for a good hour.

What makes it genuinely worth the detour is the fit of the place within the wider Weardale and Teesdale walking landscape. If you're based at any of the caravan parks nearby - Village Green, Cragwood, or the various sites clustered around the Bishop Auckland area - this works brilliantly as a cultural stop between countryside walks. You could easily knock it together with a ramble around the village and down towards the River Wear.

The church is free to enter during daylight hours, though do check ahead on the website for specific opening times and any special services that might affect access. Half an hour inside is realistic unless you're genuinely into medieval ecclesiastical detail. Families won't get much from it if kids are under eight, but older children interested in history will find it engaging enough. The churchyard itself is pleasant for a wander, and the setting is quintessentially County Durham - green hills, dry stone walls, the works.

Visit on a weekday afternoon if you can. Sundays bring services, and midweek gives you breathing room to look round properly.