Forest Art Gallery & Collectables

You'll find this place tucked away near Brockenhurst, a proper surprise if you're staying at any of the New Forest campsites - Matley Wood or Ashurst are practically on the doorstep. The Forest Art Gallery & Collectables is exactly what its name suggests: a working gallery that combines contemporary art with a quirky mix of collectables, all under one roof.

What makes it worth a visit depends on your tolerance for eclectic browsing. Some pieces are genuinely interesting, others are the sort of thing that makes you think "well, someone clearly loves this". You're not looking at major installations or heavy-hitting contemporary work here - it's more intimate than that. Plan for an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're thorough. The admission situation and opening hours aren't entirely clear from what's available, so ring ahead before you make the drive.

It works well as a rainy-day alternative when the New Forest itself is grey and damp. If you're tenting or caravanning at one of the nearby sites and fancy a bit of cultural cover, you could do worse. The kids might lose interest fairly quickly unless they're genuinely into art, but adults who like rummaging through independent galleries will get something out of it. The real draw is how close it sits to proper walking territory - you can head here mid-afternoon, have a look round, then head back to the forest paths for a sunset stroll.