St. Mary's Church, West Walton

The moment you walk into St. Mary's Church in West Walton, just outside Wisbech, you're confronted with something genuinely rare - a completely detached bell tower. It stands apart from the church itself, a medieval oddity that makes you stop and stare. Built in the 14th century, this fenland church is architecturally impressive without being showy, with that characteristic Perpendicular Gothic style you find across East Anglia, but here it feels distinctly local, rooted in the flat marshland.

The interior won't leave you gobsmacked, but it's solid. Good windows, decent proportions, and that particular light you get in Cambridgeshire churches where the fens seem to reflect into the stone itself. History types will appreciate the medieval fabric, and the bell tower alone is worth a photograph - it's genuinely unusual and doesn't photograph like everywhere else does.

For families staying at Glamping with Llamas (less than a mile away) or Parklands Holidays nearby, this works as a proper detour, not a destination. Budget half an hour if the church is open, though access can be patchy. The surrounding fenland offers decent walking if you're energetic, though it's honestly rather flat and open - not everyone's cup of tea after a church visit.

Frank assessment: West Walton is quiet, which appeals to some. If you're doing the Wisbech area and church-spotting, absolutely worth the trip. If you're hoping for spectacle, keep expectations modest. The bell tower's the real star.