St Merryn Church

The church sits right in the middle of St Merryn village, a solid stone building that's been watching over this corner of North Cornwall for centuries. It's dedicated to Saint Merryn, a 6th-century saint, and the structure itself is largely medieval - the sort of place where you can actually feel the weight of time in the walls rather than just read about it on a plaque.

What you get is straightforward: a working parish church with proper character. The interior has that smell all old churches have - damp stone and old wood - and if the door's open you can wander in and sit for a bit. There's no entrance fee, no gift shop, no faffing about. It's genuinely just a church, which is rather refreshing.

It works best if you're already in the village picking up supplies or passing through on a walk - don't make a special trip from Padstow just for this. But if you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like Padstow Holiday Village or Porthilly Beach Holiday Park, it's worth a 10-minute detour on your way somewhere else. History enthusiasts will appreciate the medieval bones of it; everyone else will spend twenty minutes having a look around and then head off for lunch.

Bring a notebook if you're into rubbing memorial stones, otherwise just show up when it suits. No booking needed, no opening hours to fight against. Pure, uncomplicated Cornwall.