Cornwater

Cornwater is a contemporary art gallery just outside Nottingham that punches above its weight. The space itself is modest but the work on rotation tends to be proper good - local and emerging artists mostly, with the occasional name you'll recognise from the bigger galleries down south.

What you're doing here is spending an hour or two looking at paintings, sculpture, sometimes installations. The staff know their stuff and won't bore you with waffle. It's the sort of place where you might stumble on someone whose work genuinely stops you in your tracks. Not somewhere to take restless kids for an afternoon, mind - they'll want out after twenty minutes. But if you're the type who actually reads gallery notes and thinks about what you're looking at, you'll find it worth the trip from Nottingham.

The real draw is how it fits into a quieter East Midlands break. You're close to decent countryside, and there are several quality holiday parks within striking distance - Fairview Farm Log Cabins is less than two miles away if you want log cabin comfort, while Lurcher Farm and New Hall Farm offer proper camping and caravanning facilities. Pop into Cornwater on a wet afternoon, then spend the rest of your time hiking or just pottering about the region. Admission details aren't widely advertised online, so ring ahead before you go. Worth the effort though.