Electric Gallery

The Electric Gallery sits in Chingford, a proper creative space dedicated to contemporary art and design. It's the kind of place where local artists get their work on the walls alongside emerging talent - nothing stuffy about it, just good honest art in a working gallery setting.

You'll find installations, paintings, sculptures, and the occasional photography exhibition rotating through. The space itself is intimate rather than grand, which means you can actually have a proper look at things without feeling like you're trudging through some vast museum. Most visits run to about an hour, maybe longer if something really grabs you.

It's worth a look if you're into contemporary work and want to see what's happening in the local arts scene rather than heading into central London. Families with older kids who can appreciate art beyond the interactive will get something from it, but toddlers will get restless. History buffs after medieval tapestries or classical paintings won't find much here.

The gallery sits handily if you're basing yourself at Lee Valley Campsite over in Sewardstone - only 4.5 miles away, so a short drive or decent cycle ride if you're after a cultural break from the park. It's the sort of stop that breaks up a holiday week rather than a destination in itself, but that's not a criticism. Sometimes the best afternoons are the ones you don't plan.