St Michael the Archangel Church

The first thing that catches you about St Michael the Archangel Church is how it sits in the landscape near Exeter - not dominating it, but belonging to it. The church itself is a proper medieval structure, the kind you walk past and suddenly think, 'actually, let me go in.' Inside, the stonework and fixtures tell you this place has seen centuries of worship, which does something to you that modern churches often don't quite manage.

It's worth a stop if you're into ecclesiastical architecture or just fancy a quiet moment away from the bustle. The church rewards a proper look around - carved details, old glass where it survives, the particular smell of centuries-old stone and wood. You won't need more than thirty to forty minutes here, so it slots easily into a wider afternoon's exploring around Exeter.

For families with older kids interested in history, it's educational without being dry. Younger children might fidget, unless they're the type who like hunting for carved faces in stonework. Free admission, as is the case with most parish churches in England, though a small donation for the upkeep wouldn't go amiss.

If you're basing yourselves at Barley Meadow Touring Park - which gets top marks and is only four miles away - or Woodland Springs closer in at 2.4 miles, this makes an easy morning or late-afternoon circuit. Pair it with a walk around Exeter's other medieval spots and you've got a solid half-day sorted.