ArtHouse galleries

ArtHouse galleries sit just outside Woking and are worth a stop if you're after contemporary art without the pomposity of London's bigger institutions. The space itself is stripped-back and functional - white walls, good light, proper gallery feel - and the work on rotation tends toward the experimental. You'll find everything from painting and sculpture to installations that occasionally miss the mark, but that's half the appeal of smaller venues.

It's the kind of place where you spend anything from forty minutes to two hours depending on what's showing and how deep you want to go into it. No queues, no crowds fighting for position - you can actually stand and look at something without someone's shoulder in your eyeline. Admission isn't steep and it's free on certain days if you check ahead.

For families with older kids who aren't bored by art, it's manageable, though younger ones might lose interest quickly. Serious art types and anyone circuit-training the South East gallery scene should swing by. It pairs well with a caravan base at one of the nearby parks - Warren Farm is closest at 2.6 miles, or you've got Weybridge Park Estates a touch further on. Hit ArtHouse on a quieter weekday morning, then explore Woking town centre if you've time. Nothing earth-shattering, but a solid local cultural stop that doesn't pretend to be more than it is.