Durham Cathedral

The first time you walk down into Durham, the Cathedral stops you dead. Perched on a tight loop of the River Wear, it's all Norman towers and soaring stone - exactly the kind of thing that makes you understand why people built things to last a thousand years. You're looking at one of England's finest Romanesque buildings, begun in 1093, and it genuinely does take your breath away.

Inside, the scale is overwhelming. The columns are thick enough to make you feel properly small, and the light comes through in ways that feel almost deliberate, like someone planned every stone to catch the sun at specific moments. The tomb of Saint Cuthbert is here - that's the historical draw for a lot of visitors - and there's real weight to standing near it, even if you're not particularly religious.

It's free to wander round, which is brilliant, though if you want to climb the tower (320 steps, proper climb that) there's usually a small charge. Allow at least an hour, longer if you're actually taking time with it rather than rushing through. Families manage it fine - kids either love the vastness or get bored after forty minutes, no middle ground.

Based in one of the caravan parks nearby like Durham Grange or Finchale Abbey, you could easily pop into the Cathedral as part of a wider walk round Durham's city centre. It's not something to travel hours for on its own, but if you're spending a week in County Durham, it's absolutely non-negotiable. Early morning visits beat the crowds considerably.