Rossie Church - now Kinnaird Mausoleum

You'll find the ruins of Rossie Church standing alone in rural Perthshire, a few miles south of Cupar - it's one of those places that stops you dead when you round the corner. What began as a medieval parish church has long since become a private mausoleum for the Kinnaird family, and the contrast between crumbling stonework and carefully maintained tombs tells you everything about how Scotland's landowners preserved what mattered to them.

The church itself dates back centuries, though what remains now are roofless walls and fragments of what must have been a proper country place of worship. The Kinnaird connection means you'll see some rather grand monuments inside - the sort of thing that makes you wonder about the families who once ran these estates. It's atmospheric rather than showy, which is partly why it works.

Historyfolk will find this worth a detour, especially if you're already working your way around Perthshire's ecclesiastical sites. It won't take long - twenty minutes, say, for a proper look around - but it's the kind of spot that lingers. Walkers heading between Cupar and the wider countryside often pass nearby, so it slots in well if you're exploring the area on foot.

If you're camping at South Valleyfield, just three or four miles away, this is genuinely easy to reach. Go at golden hour if you can - the light through those empty windows is something else. Check locally first though, as access isn't always guaranteed.