Fatclay Pottery

The pottery studio sits just outside Lee-on-the-Solent, a working space where you can actually watch clay being thrown and fired rather than stand in front of glass cases pretending to understand glazing techniques. Fatclay produces handmade pieces - bowls, vessels, tiles - all done on-site, which means there's genuine craft happening rather than stock that's been mass-produced elsewhere.

It's the sort of place that appeals to people who genuinely care about how things are made. If your kids think pottery is boring, they probably will find it dull for more than twenty minutes. But if you've got teenagers interested in art or craft, or you're someone who appreciates functional ceramics over mass-market tat, it's worth the stop. The work has character - slight irregularities that prove human hands made it.

Lee-on-the-Solent itself is a modest seaside town with a decent beach and a waterfront that doesn't try too hard to impress you. If you're staying at Kingfisher Caravan Park just down the road or exploring the Hayling Island area, Fatclay fills a gap nicely between beach time and lunch. Best approached as part of a broader afternoon rather than a destination in itself.

Bring cash - independent studios like this often don't have fancy online booking systems. Ring ahead to check opening times and whether they've got work on display that particular day.