Cullen Methodist Church

The Methodist Chapel in Cullen is a proper piece of Victorian religious architecture that caught me off guard - it's more substantial than you'd expect from a small Aberdeenshire village. Built with that solid granite you see throughout this corner of the Highlands, the church sits quietly in the community without any fuss or signposting, which means most tourists driving through Banff miss it entirely.

Inside, the woodwork is genuinely lovely - dark timber pews and a gallery that speaks to when the congregation was far larger than it is today. The stained glass has that particular quality of light you only get in Scottish churches, and if you're into 19th-century Methodist design, there's real substance here. Allow thirty minutes max, unless you're the sort who reads every plaque and hymn board.

It's free to visit, though opening hours aren't clearly advertised - you may need to check locally or try the door. This works best for architecture enthusiasts and history-minded folks rather than children. If you're staying at Sandend Holidays (just three miles away) or Portsoy Links, both excellent caravan parks, you could easily pop in during a morning drive around the Banffshire coast. The village itself is sleepy, which is part of its charm, though it's not going to dominate your itinerary. Worth the fifteen-minute detour if you're in the area, but don't reroute your whole holiday for it.