Sleeping Giant

The Sleeping Giant gallery sits just outside Sheffield, a contemporary art space that punches well above its weight. It's the kind of place where you'll stumble upon work that makes you stop mid-sip of your coffee and actually look properly. The gallery focuses on emerging and established artists, rotating exhibitions that shift between painting, sculpture, installation and photography - so what's on when you visit shapes the whole experience.

It's genuinely worth an afternoon if you're into art that doesn't take itself too seriously. You won't need more than ninety minutes unless you're the type who reads every wall text, and the space itself is compact enough that you won't feel like you're trudging through a museum. Free admission helps, though do check opening hours before heading over from Sheffield town centre.

For a proper trip, base yourself at Rother Valley Country Park just 2.8 miles away - proper lovely spot for families wanting walks and fresh air between gallery visits. Waleswood Caravan & Camping Park is equally close if you're after something more low-key. The gallery pairs well with an afternoon ramble around the country parks, especially if the weather's holding. It's unpretentious, refreshingly free of the grandstanding you get from bigger institutions, and the kind of place locals actually use rather than tourist hordes clogging it up. Worth the detour if contemporary work appeals, but don't expect grand halls or famous names.