Kirkby Lonsdale, England: Rushin's View

If you find yourself in Kirkby Lonsdale, England, take a moment to congratulate yourself. It's fair to say you are off the beaten path. And that's fine - there are advantages to seeing a different part of civilization. The village has 2,000 people, as it is tucked in between two national parks in the northern part of the country.

Oddly enough, it's biggest tourist attraction is a view - Ruskin's View, that is. 

Visitors to St. Mary's Church can take a short walk to the Church Brow, which overlooks the River Lune. There the view opens up to reveal the Lune Valley and Underlay Hill. Artist JMW Turner painted the scene in 1822, and it caught the eye of art critic John Ruskin. He said, "I do not know in all my country, still less in France or Italy, a place more naturally divine."

Ruskin didn't change his mind 53 years later, when he said it was one of the loveliest views in England. Along the way, something unusual happened. They didn't name the view after the painter. They named it after the critic. It remains Ruskin's View to this day. You can enjoy the view from a distance, or you can walk down the so-called "Radical Steps" to see the river close up and cross an ancient bridge.

There's one little catch in all this. Erosion is causing problems on the Church Brow. The area had to be closed for a while because it simply wasn't safe for visitors. The village started a fund-raising campaign, and now you can make it to the first viewpoint safely. But there's more work to be done, and more money to be raised.