Glen Lyon Church, Bridge of Balgie

You'll find this little church tucked away in one of Scotland's longest glens, about an hour's drive northwest of Pitlochry. Glen Lyon Church sits at Bridge of Balgie, where the River Lyon threads through some genuinely dramatic countryside - glowering mountains on either side, the kind of landscape that makes you understand why people built churches in these spots in the first place.

The church itself is modest and working, which is rather the point. It's the setting that gets you. Step inside and you're transported - whitewashed walls, simple wooden pews, proper quiet. There's a real sense of centuries passing through here, but it doesn't feel museum-like or stage-managed. Local worshippers still use it, and that matters.

For walkers, this is brilliant. Glen Lyon has some of the best hiking in Perthshire, and the church makes a natural anchor point for a day out. You could easily spend three or four hours exploring trails along the glen, then sit by the church with a coffee and just absorb the landscape. Non-hikers will manage fine with a short stroll and twenty minutes inside - it's peaceful rather than demanding.

It costs nothing, and there's rough parking nearby. Spring and early summer are best - midges can be murderous from July onward. If you're based at Kilvrecht Campsite, it's a scenic half-hour drive. Don't expect facilities or crowds. Come for the bones of the place and the glen itself.