This December, Eel Pie Island is opening its doors for its Christmas Open Studios weekend on 6 and 7 December, which means you can step inside the usually off-limits workshops and meet the artists who live and work there.
Across the two days, you can browse handmade ceramics, oil paintings, jewellery, sculptures and the work of a resident cartoonist. It's the kind of place where you'll probably find something you were not expecting, and you might even end up ticking off a couple of Christmas gifts while you're at it. There will also be refreshments, and previous years have featured drinks alongside a few fairly surreal installations.
You need to book a free two-hour slot to access the island, so it's worth planning ahead rather than rocking up on the day. If you have time afterwards, it's also worth stopping by the Eel Pie Island Museum on the mainland, which covers the island's history and its connection to bands like The Who and the Stones.