PL Hobbs

The PL Hobbs gallery sits in Troutbeck Bridge, a quiet corner of the Lake District that most visitors drive straight past on their way to Windermere's crowds. It's a proper working gallery - the sort of place where you'll actually find the artist in the studio, not a corporate gift shop pretending to be cultural. The space focuses on contemporary art and craft, with an emphasis on pieces that make you pause rather than just look away. Work tends towards the accessible end of modern art, which is refreshing.

You'll get the most from this if you're into visual art or craft - painters, sculptors, jewellers. It's not a destination in itself, honestly. But if you're camped nearby at Park Cliffe or Hill of Oaks and you fancy a proper browse on a wet afternoon, it beats sitting in the van. Most people spend between forty minutes and an hour here, depending on whether you get talking to whoever's working.

The gallery appears to be free admission, though details are thin on the ground online - worth phoning ahead or checking their social media before the trip. It suits a rainy day far better than a blue-sky afternoon when you should be on the fells. Given its proximity to both major caravan parks in the area, it's a useful backup plan if weather forces your hand.