St Martin's Church

The church sits right on Bowness' lakeside, where you can actually see the water from the graveyard - proper atmospheric spot. St Martin's has been standing here since medieval times, though it's been rebuilt and fiddled with plenty since then. Inside, the stained glass catches the light nicely, and there's enough carved wood and stone to keep history buffs occupied for a good twenty minutes.

It's free to wander in during daylight hours, and honestly, it works best as a fifteen-minute stop rather than a destination in itself. The real appeal is the location: you're yards from Bowness' waterfront, so it slots perfectly into a morning walk around the lake before heading to Parkdean Resorts Fallbarrow - which is barely five minutes away on foot. If you're staying at any of the nearby parks, Low Wray Campsite or White Cross Bay included, this is an easy leg-stretch without going far.

Families with young kids might find the interior a touch dull unless they're already keen on old churches. Walkers and architecture types will appreciate the craftsmanship and the calm. The graveyard's worth a wander - some interesting names and dates if you're into that sort of thing. Go when Bowness itself isn't rammed with day-trippers (that means not weekends in summer), and you'll have the place largely to yourself. Pair it with a lakeside walk and a coffee in town, and it's time well spent.