Nick Holmes Fine Art

Nick Holmes runs a proper working art studio and gallery out in Norfolk, and it's the sort of place where you actually get to see an artist at work rather than just staring at finished pieces behind velvet ropes. His landscapes capture that particular quality of East Anglian light - all dramatic skies and big horizons - which sounds clichéd until you're standing in front of one and realising why he bothers with it at all.

The space itself feels informal, not at all stuffy. You can watch Holmes paint if you catch him in the studio, ask him about his process, maybe commission something if a particular piece speaks to you. It's refreshingly unpretentious for an art gallery, which means it works equally well for serious collectors and people who just fancy a mooch around something a bit different from the usual seaside attractions.

If you're staying at one of the caravan parks nearby - Old Brick Kilns is closest at under three miles away - this makes a genuinely good half-hour detour on a rainy afternoon or a morning before you head to the beach. Kelling Heath is also within easy reach if you're based there. Opening times and admission aren't advertised online, so ring ahead or drop by during daylight hours and see if Holmes is around. Norfolk doesn't have masses of dedicated art spaces outside the cities, so finding a proper studio like this is actually rather worthwhile.