Saint Columbanus

The Church of Saint Columbanus sits in a quiet corner of Ballyholm, just outside Newtownards, and it's one of those places that rewards a slight detour if you're staying in the area. The church itself is modest - a nineteenth-century build with that solid, no-nonsense Protestant architecture you find dotted across Northern Ireland. What makes it worth stopping for is the historical weight behind the name. Columbanus was an Irish monk who set out from these shores in the sixth century and ended up establishing monasteries across Europe, so there's something rather grand about claiming him as your parish saint in this small corner of County Down.

It's genuinely free to visit and takes about thirty minutes to wander around, have a look inside if it's open, and soak up the quiet. The churchyard is well-maintained and the setting overlooks farmland that slopes toward the coast - nice if you're after a bit of countryside air without the crowds. History enthusiasts will find it interesting as a tangent; families passing through won't lose patience here, though it's not an attraction that'll grip children for long.

If you're based at Dunroamin Caravan Park in nearby Millisle, this makes a gentle morning walk or a rainy-day outing. Newtownards itself has proper shops and pubs if you need to anchor your day somewhere with more buzz. Worth tacking on if you're exploring the Ards Peninsula, but don't rearrange your itinerary specially for it.