The Concrete Elephant

There's a rather bold concrete elephant standing in Wokingham that stops you dead. It's an art installation - the sort of thing you either find instantly compelling or walk straight past, depending on your mood. The piece sits as a statement piece in the town, impossible to ignore and deliberately so.

What you're looking at is contemporary public art that doesn't apologise for its materials or its size. It's free to view, which is the only way art like this should be, and you can spend as long as you want staring at it, photographing it, or deciding whether it speaks to you. Five minutes might do it. Some people come back.

It appeals most to people who like their art a bit rough around the edges - not the gentle gallery crowd necessarily, but anyone who thinks public sculpture should provoke rather than fade into the background. Families with curious kids will find it interesting enough as a talking point during a wander through Wokingham town centre, though it won't keep anyone entertained for hours.

Wokingham itself is close to Bracknell, which means if you're based at somewhere like California Chalet & Touring Park five miles away, the elephant makes for an easy detour on a day out. It takes minutes to see, costs nothing, and doesn't require planning around opening hours. Pair it with a proper walk around town or a café stop and you've got yourself a half-decent morning. The piece won't change your life, but it's worth the five-minute deviation if you're in the area anyway.