St Nicholas' Church, Stillington

The church door creaks open onto a simple interior that catches you off guard with its medieval charm. St Nicholas' Church in Stillington is proper old - we're talking 13th century, though the Victorians got their hands on it later - and it's the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think. The village sits just north of York, making it an easy detour if you're basing yourself at one of the nearby caravan parks like York Meadows or the glamping at Ravensdale.

What you get here is straightforward: a working parish church with genuine historical bones, not a tourist attraction dressed up as one. The stone walls are thick, the light comes through traditional windows, and there's no gift shop or entry fee to battle through. Allow 20 minutes to have a proper look around, longer if the church is locked and you're the type to peer through windows and read every external inscription.

History enthusiasts will appreciate the medieval architecture and surviving features, though this isn't a showpiece like York Minster. Families passing through on the way to somewhere else won't regret the stop, but young kids might find it a five-minute wonder. The village itself is quiet - genuinely quiet - which is either precisely what you want after a few days at the parks nearby, or precisely what will send them climbing the walls.

Best visited on a clear day when the light hits the stone properly. Check ahead if you're planning to go inside, as opening times for smaller rural churches can be erratic.