St Mary's Church, Eaton Socon

The church sits right on the main street in Eaton Socon, across the river from St Neots, and it's one of those places you'd almost walk past if you weren't looking. But stop for five minutes and you'll spot the real thing - a proper medieval parish church with a tower that's been watching over this stretch of the Great Ouse for getting on for 800 years.

Inside, the chancel's the star turn. The stonework and the general sense of having been continuously used rather than restored into sterility gives it real character. It's not vast, not famous, but it feels lived-in - the kind of church where locals still pop in on a Sunday rather than somewhere you'd queue to photograph.

This works best for history-minded walkers and anyone curious about how ordinary medieval communities actually worshipped. You'll need ten minutes, maybe twenty if you're taking notes. The tower exterior alone is worth a look, and the churchyard's pleasant for a brief wander if the weather's on.

Eaton Socon is barely a mile from St Neots itself, so if you're camping at the club site just down the road, this is an easy leg-stretcher between longer walks. The town's got proper shops and cafes too, so you can string a morning together easily. Free to visit, obviously - it's a working church, not a heritage attraction. Go when you're in the area exploring the Ouse valley rather than making a special trip, but you won't regret stopping by.