St John, Stowford

The church sits on a gentle slope above the village of Stowford, a few miles south of Okehampton on Dartmoor's edge. It's a straightforward medieval building - Grade II listed, all stone and proper Devon character. The churchyard's what really draws you in though. Gravestones scatter across sloping ground between yews that must be centuries old, and from here you get a genuine sense of how communities clung to these upland valleys.

Inside, St John is modest but solid. Fifteenth-century foundations with later additions, the sort of church that's been quietly serving its parish since before anyone can remember. No fancy tombs or ornate monuments - just honest workmanship and a real village heart. You'll spend twenty minutes here maximum, longer if you're the type to read inscriptions and get absorbed in local family names.

It's worth a quick stop if you're walking around Stowford or heading up to Dartmoor proper, but don't expect a destination attraction. The real draw is the walk - the moorland approach and the churchyard views are worth far more than the building itself. History types will appreciate the medieval fabric, but families with young kids will find it quiet to the point of sleepy.

If you're based at Wolf Wood Treehouses or Lydford Caravan & Camping Park, this makes a decent half-hour detour on a ramble towards the high moor. Spring and autumn are lovely - fewer tourists cluttering the lanes, and the light's proper golden across the churchyard.