St Mary's Church, Scarborough

The Church of St Mary sits on the headland above Scarborough's South Bay, commanding views that make the climb up from the town centre absolutely worth it. Built in the 12th century and rebuilt after a fire in 1667, the church has that lovely medieval solidity you find in proper Yorkshire stone - all buttresses and pointed windows facing out towards the North Sea.

Inside, the main draw is the funeral monument to Richard III's mother, the Countess of Richmond. History types will spend a good while picking over the details; everyone else tends to snap photos and move on within twenty minutes. The views from the churchyard, though - that's the real reason to come. You get the castle ruin to one side, the bay sweeping beneath you, and on clear days enough perspective to remember why Victorians thought Scarborough was worth the railway journey from London.

It's free to enter, and the church is usually open during daylight hours, though nobody really guards the place. Give yourself half an hour if you're genuinely interested in the medieval bits, less if you're here mainly for the photo stop.

If you're based at one of the caravan parks - Parkdean Resorts over at Cayton Bay is the biggest nearby option - St Mary's makes a natural morning walk before heading down to the beach. It ties together with a visit to the castle ruins nicely, and saves you paying for the castle entrance if you're on a budget. Park the car at the top and walk down afterwards.