Rebecca Barnard Fine Art

Rebecca Barnard's gallery sits quietly in Wells, the sort of place you'd walk past if you weren't paying attention - which would be a shame. She shows contemporary fine art with a focus on painting and sculpture, the work often local or regionally connected, which means you're seeing pieces that actually belong to this corner of Somerset rather than whatever's touring the circuit.

It's a proper working studio-gallery setup, so the experience changes depending on what's on and whether Barnard herself is about. That's either brilliant or a bit frustrating depending on your mood - you might get proper conversation about the work, or you might catch an installation mid-setup. Worth checking ahead before you visit.

This isn't a sprawling museum that'll eat up half your day. Spend 45 minutes to an hour here, longer if you're genuinely interested in talking art. It suits people who actually care about what they're looking at rather than ticking off attractions. Families with small kids probably won't linger.

Wells itself is close enough that you can combine this with the cathedral or a wander through the Bishop's Palace gardens. If you're based at Cheddar Camping and Caravanning Club Site or Bucklegrove Holiday Park - both within four miles - you've got a straightforward drive in. The town's compact enough that you can park up and explore on foot. Check opening hours and current exhibitions before heading over, as independent galleries don't always keep standard hours.