Artenax

Artenax sits just outside Exeter and is the sort of contemporary art space that rewards a proper visit rather than a quick dash through. The gallery focuses on modern work, and the space itself has that stripped-back, unfussy feel you get when someone genuinely cares about how art is presented. There's real intent in what's hung and when.

It's worth the detour if you're into current contemporary practice rather than Old Masters - think painters, sculptors, installation artists working now rather than centuries ago. The crowd tends to be knowledgeable without being pretentious, which makes a change. Kids might find it a bit cerebral unless there's a specific interactive show on, but art-school types and anyone after a proper look at what's happening in British galleries will spend a good hour here easily.

The logistics can be a bit vague - opening hours aren't always obvious from the usual sources, so ringing ahead is sensible before you drive over from Exeter. Most contemporary galleries don't charge admission, though it's worth checking when you call.

If you're basing yourself at one of the holiday parks nearby - Devon Heaven Hideaways is closest at just three miles, or Cofton Holidays a touch further - Artenax fits nicely into a gallery-and-coast sort of break. You're well placed to take in a gallery visit one afternoon, then head toward Dawlish or the Devon coast another day. Not a massive time commitment, but the kind of stop that separates a proper cultural trip from just lying in a hot tub.