St Mary the Virgin

The church sits on a rise in Tring with proper views across the town - St Mary the Virgin is one of those solid medieval builds that anchors a community but doesn't shout about itself. Inside, there's decent tracery in the windows and the sort of quiet that makes you appreciate why people still use these places. The chancel's worth a look if you're into that era of stonework.

It's the kind of stop that works best if you're already walking around Tring town centre rather than a dedicated trip. Give it twenty minutes, maybe half an hour if you're reading the wall monuments and taking photos. Families with older kids won't be bored - there's enough detail to keep them occupied - but toddlers will find it dull fairly quickly.

If you're based at Embers Camping just down the road in Claydon, or Orchard View Farm with its glamping options, the church makes a natural wander on a morning before heading elsewhere. Tring itself has the Natural History Museum if you need a proper half-day activity. The church is free to visit during daylight hours, as far as I could tell - but it's worth checking locally when you arrive since these places have their own rhythms.