St Olaf's Church, Poughill

The church sits on a gentle rise above the village, and the first thing that strikes you is how quietly it commands the landscape. St Olaf's is a proper medieval structure - all solid stone and narrow windows - that's been standing watch over Poughill since the 12th century. Inside, the ceiling work is genuinely impressive: intricate wagon roofs that speak to real craftsmanship rather than modern restoration theatre.

It's not a massive undertaking. You'll spend twenty minutes inside if you're lingering, ten if you're just having a look around. The churchyard has that satisfying mixture of old graves and well-tended plots that tells you the place is still properly used, not just a heritage box to tick.

This appeals most to people who actually care about medieval architecture and local history - the kind who'll spend an hour in a church library reading about rood screens rather than those after Instagram angles. Families with young kids might find it a bit solemn for long. The walk up from Bude is pleasant enough, though you'll want decent shoes.

If you're staying at Wooda Farm Holiday Park, it's barely a ten-minute stroll away, which makes it a natural morning wander before heading down to Bude's beaches. Atlantic Horizons further out works too if you don't mind the drive. Free to visit, and you won't need to book - just turn up during daylight and leave the churchyard as you find it.