Gallery Jessica Dove

Gallery Jessica Dove sits in Ilfracombe, a coastal town that's seen better days but still draws plenty of visitors keen on art and indie culture. It's a contemporary gallery space that showcases work from emerging and established artists - the sort of place where you'll find paintings, sculptures, and mixed media that actually make you stop and look rather than just shuffle through.

What you get here depends entirely on what's on. The gallery rotates exhibitions, so there's no single 'thing' to see - it's more about what Jessica and her team have chosen to hang on the walls that month. Worth ringing ahead to check what's current before you make the trip, otherwise you might arrive to find something that doesn't grab you.

It's ideal if you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Hele Valley Holiday Park is barely a mile away, and Watermouth Valley Camping Park just over two miles. Combined with Ilfracombe's coastal walks and the town's various cafes, you can easily make an afternoon of it without feeling you've trekked miles out of your way. An hour inside the gallery is plenty for most people, though art enthusiasts might linger longer.

The gallery works best for adults and older teenagers with a genuine interest in contemporary work. Young children will likely lose patience quickly, and it's not the sort of casual drop-in spot where you'll accidentally stumble on something brilliant. Best visited on a quieter weekday if you want to actually chat with staff about what you're looking at.