Artballing Ltd

Art galleries in the Derbyshire Dales tend to be either wildly ambitious or charmingly modest, and Artballing Ltd falls somewhere between the two. Based just outside Bakewell, this is the sort of place that rewards a curious detour if you're already in the area, though I'd ring ahead first - details are thin on the ground, and you don't want to show up to closed doors.

What you're looking at is contemporary art that takes risks. The work here isn't the safe, postcard-friendly stuff you'll find in every market town gallery. There's a genuine attempt to showcase artists doing something worth looking at, rather than just filling wall space.

If you're camping nearby - and there's no shortage of sites within striking distance, from Peak Pods barely a mile away to Chatsworth Park's more established setup - this makes a decent rainy-afternoon stop. Art students will get the most from it; families with restless kids should probably head to Haddon Hall or Chatsworth instead. Walkers using one of the area's camping bases might pop in before or after tackling the Lathkill Dale trail.

Getting specifics is tricky. Admission status, hours, and opening seasons aren't readily available online, which is either refreshingly old-school or genuinely frustrating depending on your view. That said, Bakewell itself is worth an hour regardless, so if you're passing through from Peak Pods or Lathkill Wild Campsite, a quick inquiry won't cost you much. Just don't rely on it being open.