The Coloured Box Company

The Coloured Box Company near Highbridge is a proper working gallery and studio space where you can watch artists actually creating their work. It's the kind of place where the activity matters more than the Instagram moment - you'll see painters, sculptors, and makers doing their thing, not just finished pieces behind glass.

What makes it worth the drive from the nearby holiday parks is the immediacy of it all. You're not shuffling through a formal exhibition; you're watching someone mix colours or shape clay in real time. The gallery sells pieces directly from the artists, so if something catches your eye, you've got the chance to chat to the person who made it. For families staying at Channel View Touring Park or Mendip Basecamp, it's a decent rainy-day option - kids aged ten and up tend to find the working studios genuinely interesting rather than a chore.

I'd ring ahead to check current opening hours before you set out, as smaller artist studios can be variable. Most visits run about an hour unless you're chatty with the makers, which most people are. There's usually no entry fee, though they appreciate purchases if something appeals. Winter months can be hit-and-miss for some independent galleries like this, so spring through autumn is your safest bet.

It's not going to be the highlight of your Somerset trip, but paired with walks on the Mendip Hills nearby or a proper seaside stint at Brean Down, it fills a couple of hours nicely without feeling forced.