Helen Elliott

Contemporary art in rural Carmarthenshire doesn't get much more genuine than this. Helen Elliott's gallery sits just outside Llandysul, showcasing work that actually engages with the Welsh landscape rather than just hanging on white walls pretending to be important. The space itself feels like a working studio first, gallery second - which is exactly what you want.

You're looking at painting and mixed media that tends toward the abstract and observational. The work has real texture to it, not the polished detachment you get in bigger city venues. There's usually something on the walls that makes you stop and properly look, which is rarer than you'd think. Free admission, as far as I can tell, though it's worth checking their website before you head over.

Allows maybe 45 minutes to an hour unless you're genuinely keen on contemporary work, in which case settle in for longer. The real draw is if you're already based at one of the nearby glamping parks - The Hiveaway is closest at just over three miles - and you want something to do between countryside walks. It's the sort of place that breaks up a holiday nicely without demanding half your day.

Worth a detour if you're passing through the Teifi Valley anyway. Don't go out of your way specifically for it, but if you're staying locally and you care about art that actually lives in its region rather than just existing in it, this is proper worth an hour of your time.