The Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden - Open for booked tickets only

You'll need to book ahead to get in here - that's the first thing to know about Hannah Peschar's sculpture garden just outside Dorking. It's worth the planning, though. The garden itself is the real draw: acres of woodland and open spaces where contemporary sculptures sit among trees, water features, and carefully planted borders. The work changes with the seasons and the years, so it's not the same visit twice.

What makes it different from a typical gallery is that you're walking through a proper garden, not a white-walled room. Sculptures emerge from the landscape rather than dominating it. The pieces range from abstract to figurative, stone to metal to wood. You could spend two hours here or four, depending on how much you want to sit and look. Families with older children do well - little ones might find the walking a bit much - and it's absolutely the place for anyone who takes their art seriously.

Since you have to book, ring ahead and check admission fees and opening times. The garden sits within easy reach of several holiday parks in the area: The Green Escape and Sands Farm are both within three miles, with Surrey Hills Yurts and Henfold Lakes a bit further out if you're after something more rural. If you're basing yourself in one of these spots, the sculpture garden makes for a proper cultural morning or afternoon without fighting crowds.