Studio Sherborne

Head to Sturminster Newton and you'll find Studio Sherborne, a working artist's space that doubles as a proper window into how creative types actually spend their days. It's not a museum with velvet ropes and hushed whispers - this is someone's actual studio, and that's exactly what makes it worth the detour.

You get to watch artists at work, see pieces in various states of completion, and pick up original work directly. The energy is completely different from a gallery. There's no pretension, just genuine craft. Depending on what's on and who's there, you might spend forty minutes or two hours - it's not the sort of place you rush through.

Families with older kids who aren't bored senseless by art will find it engaging. Walkers tackling the Dorset countryside nearby can easily tack this onto a morning. History types less so, unless you're into contemporary art practice. The quiet side of Sturminster Newton means it feels removed from the usual tourist grind.

It pairs nicely with a stay at Starlight Glamping, just over five miles away. That's close enough for a half-day visit without eating into your park time. Opening hours can be variable - worth ringing ahead rather than turning up hoping - and admission details aren't always advertised online, so a quick call sorts that out. The whole experience feels refreshingly unmapped-out, which in today's over-documented world is rather lovely.