Our Lady, Help of Christians

You'll spot the distinctive spire rising above the Hertfordshire countryside long before you reach Our Lady, Help of Christians just east of Dunstable. It's a proper Victorian church, built in that earnest Gothic Revival style that Victorians did so well - all pointed arches and red brick with stone detailing that's held up remarkably well.

The interior is worth a quiet visit if you're passing through. There's genuine craftsmanship in the pews and windows, and it's the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think. No crowds, no queues, just the real thing.

Historians and anyone interested in Victorian ecclesiastical architecture will find it engaging. It's not going to hold kids' attention for long, but it makes a perfectly decent stop-off if you're exploring the Chiltern Hills area. The real draw here is that it feels like an actual working church rather than a museum piece - you're visiting somewhere people still use.

If you're camping nearby at Merlin Farm or Woodlands, it's close enough for a morning walk or an afternoon detour between the Whipsnade Zoo visits. Allow twenty minutes. Free, obviously - it's a church. Pop in during daylight hours. The surrounding countryside is pleasant for a stroll, though the village itself is quiet rather than thriving.

Treat it as a break from the bigger attractions rather than a destination in itself.