St Oswalds R C Church

The red sandstone walls of St Oswald's catch the light rather beautifully on a clear afternoon, rising up from the Lancashire countryside near Little Hoole Moss Houses. This is a proper working Catholic church, not a museum piece, so you'll need to check service times before turning up expecting a quiet look around.

What you get here is unpretentious Victorian architecture - nothing as grand as you'd find in Manchester or Liverpool, but solid and genuine. The interior has that particular stillness of a country parish church, with decent stained glass and the sort of calm that makes you forget the traffic on the main road exists. If you're into ecclesiastical history or simply appreciate how communities built their faith in brick and mortar, it's worth the detour.

This works best for those already exploring the caravan parks dotted around the area - Donkey Creek Farm and Sea View are both highly rated and within a few miles. You could easily loop it into a broader walk around the rural lanes; the flat terrain makes it manageable for families, though there's not a great deal to keep young children occupied for more than 20 minutes. Worth an afternoon visit if you're based at one of the nearby parks and fancy something low-key and local rather than another timetabled attraction.

Bring cash if there's a collection box inside - standard practice - and check ahead about opening times. Best visited outside service hours unless you're genuinely keen to join a congregation.