Treacle Art

The gallery sits quietly in the Surrey countryside just outside Guildford, and it's the kind of place that rewards a bit of digging. Treacle Art focuses on contemporary work with a particular eye for emerging artists and experimental pieces - it's not your typical provincial gallery stuffed with watercolours of the South Downs.

What you'll find inside depends on when you visit, as the space runs rotating exhibitions rather than a permanent collection. Past shows have ranged from sculpture to painting to installation work, so it's worth checking ahead rather than turning up blind. Most visits take 45 minutes to an hour, though keen types easily stretch it longer.

This is genuinely better suited to adults and older teenagers with a real interest in contemporary art than to families with young kids looking for a rainy day activity. If you're stopping at Edgeley Holiday Park just down the road, it's a decent excuse for a morning outing, though I'd combine it with a walk around Guildford proper or a visit to somewhere like Polesden Lacey a few miles further out.

Admission details aren't immediately obvious online, so ring ahead before you go - opening hours can be erratic depending on exhibitions. The setting is pleasant enough, with proper countryside surrounding it, but the gallery itself is functional rather than architecturally exciting. Worth a look if contemporary art appeals to you and you're in the area, but don't make it a reason to visit the region on its own.