Our Lady Help of Christians RC Church

This red-brick Victorian church sits quietly on the outskirts of Rickmansworth, a solid piece of 19th-century Catholic architecture that most people drive past without a second glance. It's the sort of building that rewards a proper look - decent proportions, good brickwork, and the kind of interior you'd expect from a working parish church that's been keeping the faithful for over a century.

You'll want to come here if you're into church architecture or you're researching local religious history. It's not a major tourist draw, and it doesn't pretend to be. The real appeal is the peace of it - especially on a weekday morning when you've got the place more or less to yourself. On a Sunday you'll find a functioning congregation, which is what the building was made for.

Being free and accessible during services, it costs nothing to step inside. Allow twenty minutes or so for a proper wander and a sit-down if you need a moment's quiet while you're exploring the area.

If you're based at one of the caravan parks nearby - North Hill Farm and Wyatts Covert are within easy reach - this makes a decent short walk into Rickmansworth itself. Pair it with a look round the town's market square and the Colne riverside walks, and you've got a half-decent morning sorted. It won't set your holiday alight, but it's a genuine piece of local life rather than a box-ticking exercise.