Footsteps in the Snow (Wildspace Network)

The Wildspace Network gallery space in Northumberland hosts rotating contemporary art installations, and 'Footsteps in the Snow' is the kind of exhibition that rewards a proper wander through. It's not a sprawling museum - you're looking at a focused collection in a working gallery setting that takes maybe an hour to see properly, though the work itself demands you actually stop and look rather than drift through.

This is cerebral stuff, the sort of show that speaks to art enthusiasts and anyone after something beyond the usual coastal attractions around Whitley Bay. Kids who are content with abstract or conceptual work might enjoy it; those expecting dinosaurs or buttons to press will get restless quickly. The admission details aren't entirely clear from what's available, so ring ahead before you trip over.

Based near Whitley Bay, you're well-placed for a gallery visit sandwiched between caravan time. The Old Hartley Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is four miles away - convenient for an afternoon outing without much faffing about. Parkdean's two sites nearby (Whitley Bay and Sandy Bay) both offer decent facilities if you're after a proper holiday base where a cultural stop feels like a bonus rather than a pilgrimage.

The real strength here is that it's unpretentious. You won't queue for hours, it won't cost you a fortune, and if the current show doesn't land, you've lost an afternoon and not much else. Worth adding to a Northumberland coast trip if contemporary work speaks to you.