Creativity in the country: Our top ideas
Shopping is one of the great delights of any rural break. The moment you step into a local store you’ll discover all manner of speciality produce and products that you just never see on the supermarket shelves. It’s all part of what makes each village and each region truly unique.
Browse for unusual, quality items at Wroxham Barns in Norfolk
Wroxham Barns (www.enjoyengland.com/Attraction/Hoveton/Craft-Centre/131096/Wroxham-Barns.htm) in Norfolk is a colourful jumble of shops and studios specialising in an unusual selection of locally sourced goods, from stylish clothes and health and beauty products to toys, crafts and gifts for the garden. The place prides itself on sourcing unusual, quality items which are exclusive to Wroxham Barns and which support local producers wherever possible. Don’t miss the Lavender Room with its unique collection of products made from Norfolk Lavender.
Pick up specialist knitting yarn in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire
Attica Yarns in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, is an independent retailer of specialist hand knitting yarn. Pop in and view their astonishing range of yarns including Rowan, Jaeger, Debbie Bliss, Noro, Colinette, British Breed and King Cole. Chat to the helpful team and get expert advice, then browse through a magazine or two and enjoy a quiet cup of coffee in the cosy cafe.
More on speciality shopping
Check out the tasty produce and handmade artisan products at Daylesford Organics
Daylesford Organics in Gloucestershire offers a wealth of organic local produce, from vegetables pulled from their kitchen gardens to award-winning handmade cheeses from their organic Creamery. And you’ll also discover traditional skills kept alive at Bamford Barn where local artisans produce leisure wear, candles, vintage items and so much more.
More on local produce
Stop by Mr Punch’s Market for great antiques and second-hand books
Mr Punch’s Market in Shaftesbury, Dorset, is a speciality shop selling a fabulous range of antiques and second-hand books. Spend an hour or two browsing through the titles, then wander amongst the Aladdin’s cave of antiques – you just may leave with a real bargain.
Pick up some traditional pottery in Stoke-on-Trent
Pick up some fine china at the Royal Doulton Factory Shop at Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. Book in advance and you can take a tour of the factory and see the world’s largest collection of pottery figures.
Arts and craft shows are big in the country. More than just a market for quality hand-made goods, these are community occasions where traditional skills are kept alive and new ones nurtured. Immerse yourself in the crowds and amble from colourful display to colourful display, discovering the very best in local arts and crafts – and picking up a stunning keepsake to take back home.
Soak up the atmosphere at the vibrant Alford Craft Market
The Alford Craft Market in the ancient market town of Alford near Lincoln holds a vibrant series of events and markets throughout the year. Soak up the atmosphere and admire the fine displays of high quality, hand-crafted, locally produced goods. And be prepared to be delighted by everything from embroidery, ceramics and decorative painting to stained glass, silversmiths and wooden toys.
Watch craftsmen at work in the heart of Sherwood Forest
Pop down to the former Coach House and Stables of Edwinstowe Hall in the heart of Sherwood Forest and you’ll find the Sherwood Forest Art and Craft Centre (www.enjoyengland.com/Attraction/Edwinstowe/Craft-Centre/173000/Sherwood-Forest-Art-and-Craft-Centre.htm). Here, you can wander around 16 studios brimming with an impressive collection of arts and crafts. Watch craft workers putting the finishing touches to imaginative gifts, and admire works from Frail Loop sculptures, Sky Blue jewellery design and the Urchin Gallery (featuring work by artist David Evans and potter Michelle Whitehead). Get your timing right, and you can also catch one of the demonstrations and special exhibitions throughout the year.
Pay a visit to the south of England’s largest independent art gallery
You’ll find the south of England's largest independent art gallery at Fisherton Mill in Salisbury. Inside the mill building you’ll discover engaging work by leading artists, sculptors and furniture makers, whilst if you wander into the Gallery Shop you’ll come across some terrific glassworks, ceramics, textiles and metalworks. Look out for some wonderful pottery by Sue Binns and a fine series of paintings by Nick Andrew.
More on art and England
Many of the country’s finest artists work in the countryside and coastal regions, where the peace, solitude and quality of light offer daily inspiration. The juxtaposition of cutting edge art and natural surroundings is nothing short of thrilling, so if you love fine art, you’ll adore rural England.
Visit FRED, a spectacular festival of outdoor art in Cumbria
FRED is the annual art invasion of Cumbria, and from September 28 – October 14 you can see artists from around the globe creating new work in some of England's most spectacular landscapes. Come along and be part of Europe's largest annual festival of site-specific art. And prepare to be surprised, delighted and challenged in your thinking as you discover work on buses, up fells, on lakes, in woods, around mountains – and even down the pub.
Admire eclectic contemporary art in a tranquil rural setting
Tate St Ives (www.enjoyengland.com/Attraction/St-Ives/Gallery/134315/Tate-St-Ives.htm) in Cornwall sits on a dramatic site overlooking Porthmeor Beach close to the home of Alfred Wallis and the studios used by many of the artists whose works are exhibited. Feel the Shock of the New as you see one of the visiting collections of challenging modern work, including Art Now Cornwall – a rare opportunity to catch work by 28 artists living and working in the area. Hurry and you’ll also see works by Francis Bacon and Bryan Pearce.
The relationship between art and nature has always been symbiotic, and recent years have seen a trend to display works of art in the great outdoors. What more inspiring way to appreciate a piece of sculpture hewn from timber or stone than to see it in the landscape from where the raw materials came from?
Discover some sensational timber sculptures in the National Forest
David Nash’s Noon Columns in the National Forest received rapturous reviews when they were recently unveiled to the public. Take a day out of your rural break, pack a picnic and go and discover this sensational series of timber sculptures. You’ll track down one 3-4m high column carved from English oak in each of the distinct landscapes of the National Forest area. Viewing these pieces in natural surroundings is an intensely moving experience.
Check out the variety of outdoor art in Kielder Water and Forest Park
For another exciting feast of visual art in a forest setting, head off to Kielder Water and Forest Park in Northumberland. This dramatic lake-and-forest landscape is home to an eclectic mix of pieces. Along with an ever-changing series of temporary exhibits, you’ll see inspiring permanent pieces such as Andrea Wilkinson's Flock, Alan Franklin's Skedaddle and Tania Kovat's Viewpoints. And you can interact with a series of strikingly contemporary architectural commissions based around the theme of Shelter.
