Duffys' Hay Rack

The hay bales are stacked seven metres high and somehow this ramshackle contraption near Morecambe has become a proper gallery space. Duffys' Hay Rack started as a farmer's practical solution to storing feed and evolved into something unexpectedly worthwhile - a working exhibition venue that takes its art seriously despite the decidedly un-gallery-like setting.

What you're looking at is contemporary work displayed in a converted agricultural building. It's intimate, a bit rough around the edges, and absolutely nothing like walking into a white-cube institution. That's precisely why it works. The hay itself becomes part of the aesthetic - you're not pretending you're somewhere you're not.

It appeals most to art types willing to venture off the beaten track, plus anyone staying at Ocean Edge Holiday Park up the road who fancies something different from the usual seaside attractions. Kids might find the novelty of an art space in a barn entertaining for twenty minutes, though it's not really designed with them in mind.

The informality is both the draw and the limitation. Opening hours can be sporadic, and there's no reliable website to check ahead. Best to ring round locally in Morecambe before making the trip. On paper it sounds a bit too quirky for its own good, but if you're genuinely interested in contemporary art and you're staying nearby, the effort pays off. It's unpretentious in a way most galleries simply aren't.