Houghton Art

Art galleries tucked away in the Cotswolds tend to be either brilliant or baffling, and Houghton Art falls somewhere worth investigating if you're based near Chipping Campden. It's a working gallery space rather than some sprawling museum - the kind of place where you can actually see what artists are up to rather than shuffling past behind velvet ropes.

The gallery showcases contemporary work, and it's the sort of venue that rewards a proper look rather than a quick dash through. If you're staying at Campden Yurts or one of the caravan parks within spitting distance - Broadway Caravan and Motorhome Club is just 3.9 miles away - it makes for a decent half-hour diversion on a quieter afternoon. Not the kind of attraction that'll eat up your whole day, but exactly the right length if you're taking a break from hiking the Cotswold Way or exploring the villages.

The one caveat: opening hours and admission details are frustratingly thin on the ground, so ring ahead before making the trip. Nothing worse than pitching up expecting a leisurely browse only to find the doors shut. That said, if contemporary art actually interests you rather than feeling like obligatory culture, this beats heading into a major city. It's got that unpretentious local vibe the Cotswolds does well when it's not overrun with weekenders.