The Snake

A striking sculpture that catches you off guard as you round a corner near Milton Keynes - The Snake is exactly what its name suggests, a sinuous form that seems to slither across the landscape. It's gallery work that's escaped into the real world, which is refreshing when you're used to art confined behind white walls.

The piece itself is genuinely striking up close. The way it curves and twists gives you different views from every angle you approach it, and on a decent day the light plays across it in ways that make it worth circling round properly rather than just snapping a photo and moving on. It's the sort of thing that works equally well whether you're into contemporary art or just fancy something a bit different during a park break.

You won't need more than twenty minutes here unless you're the type to sit and sketch it or contemplate the whole sculpture-in-landscape thing for ages. It's free to visit and there's no entrance procedure - just turn up. The real question is whether it's worth the detour from a base like Ekeney House Campsite, four and a half miles away. If you're already exploring the Milton Keynes area it absolutely is. If you're purely after woodland walks and lake time, it might be overkill. But couples and anyone with even a passing interest in public art will find it worth the short drive.