Gallery by the Lakes

The Gallery by the Lakes sits just outside Dorchester, offering something a bit different from the usual Dorset holiday fare. It's an art space built around a lakeside setting, which immediately gives it an advantage over the standard village gallery tucked into a high street.

What you're looking at is contemporary and local work mostly - the kind of thing that appeals to people who actually care about art rather than those killing an hour on a rainy afternoon. The lakes themselves are the real draw here. You can walk the perimeter, grab a coffee if they've got one on, and let the space breathe around you. It's low-key, which is either exactly what you want or precisely what will bore you within forty minutes.

The nearby caravan parks - Crossways is closest at 1.5 miles, with Warmwell and Sandyholme within easy striking distance - make this a decent cultural stop if you're based that way. Bring the family and they'll tolerate it if the exhibitions are good, but don't expect the kids to be mesmerised. Adults after a proper walk with some art on the side will get more from it.

Best to ring ahead or check their website before you go - opening hours and admission fees aren't guaranteed, and Dorchester itself has enough museums and galleries that you won't feel you've missed out if Gallery by the Lakes doesn't quite land for you.