Christ Church, King Sterndale

The walk up to Christ Church catches you off guard. You're trudging through proper Peak District moorland, all windswept and bleak, when suddenly this tiny stone church materializes out of nowhere - honestly feels like stumbling onto a secret. King Sterndale sits at over 1,600 feet, making it one of England's highest villages, and the church is about as remote as they come.

Inside, it's all stripped-back Victorian restoration work - whitewashed walls, simple fixtures, absolutely no fuss. The real draw is the isolation itself. You're looking out across moorland that seems to go on forever, and there's barely another soul around. Walkers come through on their way across the Peak, and that's about it.

History buffs will appreciate that there's been a church here since medieval times, though what you're seeing now is mostly 1800s work. It's not going to blow your mind with ornate detail - this is honest, humble stuff. Families with young kids might find the exposed moorland walk a bit much depending on ages, but older children who don't mind a bit of a trek will absolutely love the feeling of being somewhere genuinely off the beaten track.

Get there from Buxton and allow a solid couple of hours with the walk. Free to visit, naturally. It's perfectly placed if you're staying at Peak Glamping Hideaway nearby - worth combining with a wider moorland circuit rather than treating it as a standalone stop. Spring and early autumn are best; winter can get pretty bleak up there.