The Wow Gallery

The Wow Gallery sits just outside Dorking, a contemporary art space that pulls in a steady crowd of locals and visitors keen to see what's on the walls. It's the sort of place where you can spend anything from forty minutes to two hours depending on what's being shown and how deep you want to go with it.

The gallery focuses on contemporary work, rotating exhibitions that keep things fresh enough to warrant a repeat visit if you're staying locally. Some shows land better than others - that's just how it goes with modern art - but the space itself is well-run and the team know their stuff. Staff are helpful without being pushy, which counts for something.

It works well as part of a broader day out rather than a destination in itself. You're close enough to Dorking's town centre to grab lunch before or after, and the surrounding area - the Surrey Hills National Landscape sits just a few miles away - offers proper walking country. If you're staying at Henfold Lakes nearby, it's a natural addition to a weekend. Families with older kids and teens who aren't completely art-averse will get something from it; younger children might fidget.

Admission details and opening hours shift, so check ahead before you go. It's free to enter on some occasions, paid on others depending on the exhibition. Allow a good hour to do it justice without feeling rushed. Not a highlight in itself, but a perfectly decent couple of hours when you're in the area.