Perranporth Gallery

Perranporth Gallery sits in the heart of Bolingey, a proper working space where local and visiting artists actually show their stuff rather than just selling postcards. It's the kind of place you stumble into on a rainy afternoon when the beach isn't calling, or when you've had your fill of fish and chips and want something a bit different.

The gallery rotates its exhibitions, so what's on when you visit depends entirely on timing. You'll find contemporary painting, sculpture, photography - the sort of work that tends to reflect the coastal landscape and artistic community of this corner of Cornwall. It's intimate rather than grand, which means you can move through it in an hour without feeling like you've missed anything crucial.

It works best for anyone who takes their art seriously but doesn't need a five-hour museum marathon. Kids might get restless, but teenagers with genuine creative interests could find it worthwhile. The real value is seeing work from artists actually making their living down here rather than somewhere in London with a holiday cottage.

Access and opening times aren't formally listed online, which is refreshingly low-key and also slightly annoying - you might want to ring ahead. Being right near Bolingey means it slots nicely into a caravan holiday at any of the nearby parks like Haven Perran Sands or Perran View, both within touching distance. It's a twenty-minute stop rather than a full day out, but that's rather the point.