Hatch Gallery

The converted Victorian stable block that houses Hatch Gallery sits quietly on the outskirts of Christchurch, easy to walk straight past if you're not paying attention. Inside, it's a proper working creative space - part gallery, part studio - where local and regional artists show their work. You'll find paintings, prints, sculpture, jewellery, ceramics. The sort of place where half the work is actually for sale, which keeps things refreshingly unpretentious.

It's free to wander in, which is brilliant, and you can easily spend forty minutes to an hour browsing depending on what's on. The space itself is intimate rather than grand - four rooms, decent light, never feels crowded. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10:30 to 4, though I'd ring ahead in winter as smaller galleries sometimes shift their hours without warning.

Who'll love it? Anyone who wants a proper look at what local makers are actually doing, not tourist tat. If you're staying at Sandhills or Meadowbank - both within walking distance - this beats another lap of the beach car park. It's also worth combining with a walk along the Christchurch waterfront or a browse through the town's antique shops if you've got the time.

The New Forest is only a few miles further north, so if you're base camping at Hoburne Naish or Holmsley, this works as a rainy-day stop on the way to somewhere else. Not a destination in itself, but a proper local find that feels genuine.