The Forbidden Carnival Gallery

The Forbidden Carnival Gallery sits just outside Chippenham and lives up to its intriguing name with a collection of art that leans toward the darkly surreal and theatrical. This isn't your typical Wiltshire gallery - expect installations and pieces with a distinctly carnival-inspired edge, where the playful and the unsettling sit side by side. The work on display shifts the mood well away from chocolate-box landscape paintings.

It's the sort of place that appeals to art enthusiasts looking for something with genuine bite rather than tourist-friendly niceness. Teenagers might actually stay engaged here, unlike in some galleries. Adults who appreciate contemporary or unconventional work will find it worth a detour. Young kids, though, could find it a bit much depending on how sensitive they are to darker imagery.

I'd allow an hour or so for a proper look around - it's intimate rather than sprawling. The lack of listed opening hours or admission details is frustrating, so check ahead before making the trip. Being only a couple of miles from Plough Lane Caravan Site, Roe Deer Fields, and The Moors Campsite means you could easily slot it into a wider stay exploring the area around Chippenham.

The gallery works well as a break from the usual park routine, especially if you want something a bit different for an afternoon. Not everyone's cup of tea, but that's rather the point.