ShedArt Gallery

An art gallery housed in a converted shed sounds like the sort of thing that could go either way - pretentious nonsense or genuinely clever. ShedArt, just outside Dorking in Surrey, lands firmly on the clever side. It's a working studio and exhibition space where you can actually watch artists at it, which beats staring at a canvas in some stuffy gallery any day.

The space itself is small and intimate, the kind of place where you can have a proper chat with whoever's running the show that week. They rotate exhibitions regularly, so there's no point planning your visit around one specific show - just go and see what's on. It works best for people who like contemporary art but can't be bothered with the formality of the big institutions. Families with teenagers interested in how things get made will find it genuinely interesting. Younger kids might get restless after twenty minutes, to be honest.

If you're camping nearby - and there's no shortage of sites around here, from Cowroom Glamping down to Sands Farm - it's a brilliant rainy afternoon stop. Dorking itself is walkable, so you could combine a wander round the town with a visit here. Check ahead before you go, as opening hours aren't fixed and it closes between shows. Free entry, as far as I can gather, though they'll expect you to splash out on something if you really like it. It's not a destination in itself, but as part of a Surrey Hills trip it's well worth an hour of your time.