Inkpot Gallery

The Inkpot Gallery sits quietly in Ely, a small contemporary art space that punches well above its weight for a cathedral town. It's the sort of place you stumble upon while wandering the high street, and you'd be doing yourself a disservice to walk past. Inside, you'll find rotating exhibitions of local and emerging artists - printmaking, painting, ceramics, the lot - displayed with the kind of care that suggests someone actually gives a damn about the work hanging on the walls.

It's brilliant for art enthusiasts and anyone after a proper cultural hit without the pretension of bigger galleries. Children might find it a bit quiet unless there's something interactive on, but adults will appreciate the chance to actually look at things without school groups elbowing past. Allow 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how much the current exhibition speaks to you.

Practically speaking, it's free to wander in, which is the best kind of discovery. Being so close to Ely itself, the gallery works perfectly as a half-hour detour if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks like Heatherbield Lodge or Hatters Meadows. Pop in before or after exploring the cathedral and the riverside walks that make this part of Cambridgeshire rather special. It's the kind of local spot that reminds you why poking around market towns beats hitting the obvious attractions every time.