The Cottage Gallery

The Cottage Gallery sits quietly in Wedmore, a proper working art space rather than some grand institution. You'll find local artists showing everything from paintings and ceramics to jewellery and textiles - the sort of place where the work actually changes hands and people pop in because they live nearby, not because it's on some tourist tick-list.

What makes it worth a stop is the intimacy of it. Unlike sprawling museum complexes, this is browsable in under an hour, which suits families with restless kids perfectly. The quality varies, as it does in any artist-run venture, but there's genuine craft on display. If you're staying at one of the nearby campsites - Castle Farm is just 1.4 miles away, or Strawberryfield Park and the Cheddar options if you want something fancier - it's an easy afternoon diversion when the weather turns or you need a break from fields and fresh air.

I'd ring ahead before visiting to check current opening times and whether there's an admission charge, as these smaller galleries can be a bit fluid about their schedules. Wedmore itself is a gentle village base, not the dramatic peaks and gorges you get deeper into the Mendips, but it's useful for accessing walks and that particular Somerset landscape without the crowds you'd hit at Cheddar proper.

Worth the detour if you're already in the area and keen on supporting local makers. Don't expect to spend half a day here, but it beats sitting in a caravan waiting for the rain to stop.