Durham Angel

The Durham Angel is a contemporary art gallery that punches above its weight for the North East. Located within easy reach of Hartlepool, it's one of those places that rewards a detour if you're staying at any of the nearby parks - Castledene Holiday Park is barely a mile away, which makes it a proper quick trip from base camp.

Inside, you'll find rotating exhibitions that focus on emerging and established artists, with a real emphasis on work that engages with landscape and place. The space itself is worth the visit alone - it's got that spare, light-filled quality that makes contemporary art breathe properly. Unlike the big city galleries with their crowds and postcards, you get genuine breathing room here.

Who'll get most from it depends on your art appetite. If you're the sort who genuinely engages with galleries rather than just ticking them off, this is time well spent. Kids under ten might find it a bit quiet unless there's a hands-on installation on. History enthusiasts won't get much here - it's contemporary work, not archives.

Allow an hour minimum, longer if something really grabs you. Since opening hours and admission details aren't reliably available, ring ahead before you go - nothing worse than finding gallery hours online only after you've driven there. It slots nicely into a park weekend in the Hartlepool area, especially if you're not after the seaside-postcard experience and want something with a bit more edge.