St Michael's

The church sits on a rise above Seaton, its tower visible from the coastal path for miles. St Michael's is a proper medieval building - the kind of place where you can actually feel the centuries pressing down on the stonework. Inside, it's got that cool, slightly musty air that only old churches manage, with decent stained glass and the sort of carved details you find yourself studying for far longer than you'd expect.

It's worth stopping by if you're already in Seaton or walking the coastal route, but don't make a special journey just for this. History enthusiasts and anyone keen on church architecture will spend a good hour poking around; families with young kids might manage twenty minutes before restlessness sets in. The churchyard's pleasant enough for a wander, though the real draw here is how it anchors the local landscape rather than any single standout feature.

If you're based at Start Bay Caravan and Motorhome Club or Beer Head Holiday Park, St Michael's makes a natural pause during a ramble towards Seaton or along the South West Coast Path. The town itself offers decent enough facilities for a coffee stop. The church is free to enter during daylight hours - no specific opening times to worry about, which is the way these places should be. Allow twenty minutes to an hour depending on how much you want to linger, and bring a torch if you're visiting in winter, as the interior can be genuinely dim.