Hornseys

Hornseys is a proper working gallery just outside Ripon, the sort of place where you can actually watch artists doing their thing rather than just gawping at finished pieces behind velvet ropes. The space showcases contemporary work - paintings, sculpture, ceramics - from Yorkshire makers and visiting exhibitors. It's intimate rather than grand, which means you won't spend three hours here, but that's rather the point.

This is the kind of stop that works brilliantly if you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Riverside Meadows is less than a mile away - and fancy breaking up a day of walks and countryside pottering with something a bit different. Families with older kids who aren't completely allergic to art will manage fine; younger ones might fidget after 20 minutes. Real art enthusiasts will want to time a visit with their exhibition schedule if possible.

Ripon itself is worth your time anyway - the cathedral's worth a wander, and there's decent shopping on the high street. If you're based at Woodhouse Farm or Sleningford Watermill, both within easy striking distance, Hornseys makes a natural addition to a morning's exploring. The fact it's a genuine working studio rather than a tourist-trap gallery is what sets it apart. No pretence, just good art and makers who actually know what they're talking about. That's worth the short drive from your holiday park.