Lichfield Cathedral

It's worth a detour (14 miles northeast of Birmingham on A38) to explore the only English cathedral with three spires. The sandstone building, beautifully sited by a tree-fringed pool, dates mainly from the 12th and 13th centuries, and the Lady Chapel glows with some 16th-century stained glass from the Cistercian abbey of Herkenrode, near Liège, in Belgium. Half-timber houses surround the peaceful grounds, and the town itself has Georgian buildings as well as the birthplace (now a museum) of lexicographer Dr. Samuel Johnson. Frequent trains from Birmingham New Street Station take 35 minutes. Free; suggested donation £4. Weekdays 7:30–6:15; Sat. 8–6.15; Sun. 7.30–5.