Masham Leaves

The gallery sits on Masham's main street, a proper working art space rather than some hushed temple of high culture. Walk in and you'll find contemporary work by regional artists - mostly painting and sculpture, though the focus shifts seasonally. It's the kind of place where locals actually pop in between errands, which tells you something about how it's pitched.

You're looking at an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you linger over the pieces. There's no pretence here; the work is accessible without being dumbed down, and the staff know what they're talking about. Families with older kids will get more from it than toddlers, frankly, though it's never overwhelming in size. Free to look around, though they'll appreciate a purchase if something catches your eye.

Masham itself - pronounced MAZ-um, not MASH-um - is a market town with real character about ten miles from Ripon. You've got the River Ure running through it, decent pubs, and it's the kind of place where you can actually have a proper browse without fighting crowds. Base yourself at Sleningford Watermill or Camp Kátur Glamping nearby and you can tick this off as part of a wider North Yorkshire drift. The gallery doesn't demand a special trip, but if you're already in town it's absolutely worth an hour. Better than another lap of the high street.