Sun Dial

The Sun Dial gallery sits just outside Sawbridgeworth, a proper surprise if you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like The Wild Retreat at Redricks Lake. It's a contemporary art space that punches above its weight for a small Hertfordshire town, showcasing rotating exhibitions across a handful of intimate rooms.

What you're getting here is local and emerging artists - paintings, sculpture, occasionally installation work. It's the kind of place where you might spend forty minutes or two hours depending on what's on and how deep you want to go. Nothing that demands a half-day commitment, which suits visitors based at the caravan parks perfectly. Pop in after a morning walk, grab a coffee if they've got one on offer, have a look around.

The gallery works best for people who actually care about contemporary art rather than those just ticking off attractions. Families with teenagers who've dragged you to an exhibition might find it tolerable. Young kids will almost certainly get bored unless there's something interactive on.

I'd suggest ringing ahead or checking their social media before you go - opening hours can be patchy and they do close between shows. Given it's only a mile from The Wild Retreat, it's worth a detour if you're in the area and there's something on that appeals to you. Don't expect anything slick or commercial. This is genuinely independent, which means it's either brilliant or utterly frustrating depending on your mood that day.