St Michael's & All Angels, Church

The church sits right in Armathwaite village, a proper rural pocket of Cumbria that most people drive straight past on the way to the Lakes. St Michael's & All Angels is the sort of place that rewards poking about - there's real character in those stone walls, and the interior has the quiet, slightly dusty feel of somewhere that's been doing the same job for centuries.

Inside you'll find what you'd expect from a country parish church: decent stained glass, a few memorial tablets, and the kind of peace that comes from thick walls and centuries of footfall wearing the floor smooth. It's not a show-stopper like some of the bigger cathedrals, but that's rather the point. This is a working village church, not a tourist attraction pretending to be a community space.

Worth stopping for if you're exploring the Eden Valley or breaking up a drive between Penrith and Carlisle. History types will appreciate it, though ten minutes inside is realistic unless you're really into tracing family graves or studying Victorian stonework. Families with restless kids will find twenty minutes their limit.

Both Drybeck Farm and High Hall Farm Campsite sit within easy reach if you're basing yourself in the area - makes sense to combine a wander round the village with a visit to the church. Opening times aren't always straightforward with small churches like this, so check locally or ask at your campsite. Free entry, naturally.