Shaldon Road Methodist Church

A Victorian-era Methodist chapel tucked into the Devon landscape, Shaldon Road Methodist Church is the sort of building you might stumble across whilst exploring the quieter corners of the area around Torquay. The chapel itself is modest but solid - proper Victorian craftsmanship with that characteristic red brick and period detailing that tells you someone took their faith seriously back then.

It's not a major tourist draw, and that's rather the point. This is a working church first, heritage site second. If you're interested in 19th-century religious architecture or the nonconformist movement that shaped rural Devon, there's genuine substance here. You won't spend hours, but twenty minutes wandering round gives you a real sense of how these communities worshipped.

The real value comes if you're based at one of the nearby parks - Parkdean Resorts Torquay Holiday Park is just two and a half miles away, or The Smithy's glamping pods if you want something a bit more upmarket. It makes for a quiet walk from any of these bases, and the surrounding lanes are pleasant enough for a morning constitutional. Don't expect crowds or visitor facilities. Ring ahead to check visiting times and whether the chapel is open, as it operates on volunteer time rather than a set schedule. Worth a detour if Methodist history appeals, or if you're simply after a peaceful few minutes away from the busier seaside attractions.