St Giles Church, West Bridgford

The grey stone tower of St Giles rises above West Bridgford's residential streets like a proper landmark - you can spot it from the Trent Bridge approach. This is a working parish church, medieval in origin but rebuilt and extended through the centuries, and it's the sort of place where you'll actually find locals rather than tour groups queuing at the door.

Inside, the space feels intimate rather than grand. The nave's decent enough, with some decent Victorian stained glass and the usual brass plaques charting local deaths over four hundred years. The real draw is wandering the churchyard itself - it's actually peaceful, which is something when you're this close to Nottingham's sprawl. The gravestones tell proper stories if you're into that sort of thing.

It's not a day-out destination on its own, but it's well worth the walk if you're staying at any of the local glamping spots - Birdholme's just five miles away, or the Wolds Wine Estate if you fancy combining culture with a glass. The church is free to wander, though opening times aren't always posted, so you might find it locked on a random Tuesday afternoon. Best bet is visiting on a Sunday when there's an actual service on, or ringing ahead if you're keen to explore the interior properly.

Give it thirty minutes, tops. Families with history-mad kids will get more from it than those just after a quick look around.