St. Margaret's Catholic Church

The red sandstone walls of St Margaret's catch the light beautifully on a clear day, rising up from the Aberdeenshire landscape with real gravitas. This is a proper working Catholic church, not a museum piece, so you'll find locals here on Sundays and feast days going about their faith rather than gawping tourists.

What you get is Victorian Gothic architecture done with Scottish restraint - no over-the-top flourishes, just solid, competent design. The interior has that particular smell churches have, the kind that takes you straight back to childhood. Stained glass filters the light across the nave, and there's genuine craftsmanship in the woodwork if you bother to look up.

It's worth a stop if you're already in or near Montrose, particularly if you've got an interest in Scottish Catholic history or Victorian ecclesiastical design. Don't expect to spend more than 20 minutes inside unless you're properly into studying the architectural details. Families with restless kids might find it a bit static.

If you're basing yourself at St Cyrus Holiday Park, just five and a half miles down the road, the church makes an easy afternoon detour between beach time and wherever else the Aberdeenshire coast pulls you. Check locally about visiting hours - it's an active parish church, so ring ahead or catch it during a service if you want guaranteed access.