St Thomas the Apostle

The stone walls of St Thomas the Apostle catch the Weardale light in a way that makes you stop and actually look. This isn't a grand cathedral or a showpiece - it's a proper working church in County Durham, the kind of place where locals still come to pray on a Sunday, where the air inside feels lived-in and real.

The church sits in a landscape of moorland and river valleys that shift colour with every season. If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Heather View or Greenfoot are both within a mile - it's an easy walk to pop your head in and see the interior. The architecture tells stories, though you'll want to check ahead on opening hours before you make the trip.

It's not a destination in itself, frankly. Most people won't spend hours here, and that's fine. What it does well is anchor a walk through Weardale. The valley itself - with its mix of Pennine grit and green water meadows - is worth your time far more than any single building. Belle Vue Farm's caravan site over in Stanhope gives you a good base for exploring the wider area without being too far from the church if you want to include it in a morning wander.

For church history buffs and walkers combining a few stops across the dale, it works. For families wanting activities, you'll need to look beyond church visits. The real draw of staying round here is the walking and the landscape, not the buildings themselves.