Walking Forwards

Walking Forwards is a contemporary gallery right in Northampton that focuses on modern and contemporary art. It's the sort of place where you'll find work that makes you think twice - sometimes challenging, often unexpected. The gallery space itself is clean and unfussy, letting the art do the talking rather than the architecture stealing the show.

You're looking at anything from painting and sculpture to installation work and photography, depending on what's on during your visit. There's no fixed permanent collection to speak of - exhibitions rotate, so what you see depends entirely on when you go. It's worth checking ahead if you're making a specific trip, though the venue's website situation is a bit unclear at present.

This works well for art enthusiasts and anyone after something a bit more cerebral than a standard tourist attraction. If you've got teenagers who actually engage with contemporary work, they'll probably get more out of it than younger kids might. Adults wanting to spend an hour or so thinking about what they're looking at will find it worthwhile. The gallery is free to enter, which is always a bonus.

Based just outside Northampton town centre, it fits neatly into a broader visit to the area. You're close enough to Billing Aquadrome and the other holiday parks dotted around the county - Overstone Lakes and Sywell Country Park are both within a 10-minute drive. Combine it with a walk along the river or a visit to local shops, and you've got a decent half-day sorted.