Rowbury

Art galleries tucked into coastal Devon villages don't always announce themselves loudly, and Rowbury is the sort of place you'll walk past twice before spotting the sign. It's a proper working studio and exhibition space just outside Budleigh Salterton, where local artists display paintings, ceramics, and sculpture in what feels more like visiting someone's creative home than a sterile white-box gallery.

The appeal here is straightforward - it's intimate and honest. You'll find contemporary work from regional makers, the kind of thing you can actually imagine living with rather than staring at from behind velvet ropes. Walkers and art enthusiasts will get the most from it; families with young kids might find it a bit quiet and contemplative for their pace, though there's something refreshing about a gallery without crowds.

If you're based at Ladram Bay Holiday Park or Oakdown Touring and Holiday Caravan Park, this makes a cracking half-hour detour on a coastal walk. Pop in, have a browse, chat to whoever's running the space that day. No pretension, no nonsense. The real strength of somewhere like this is the direct connection between maker and viewer - you're not paying middlemen, and you'll often find artists happy to talk about their work.

Check ahead before you go, though - opening hours can be variable, and it's worth ringing Budleigh Salterton information to confirm it's open the day you plan to visit. Worth the slight effort.