Scottish Smallholding & Countryside Festival

Half county show, half masterclass: rare-breed sheep, pigs and poultry alongside talks and hands-on demos on everything from beekeeping to fencing, aimed squarely at anyone dreaming of a few acres and some chickens. It's unpretentious and genuinely informative rather than a polished tourist show.

Good for kids too — there's plenty to look at nose-height and the Royal Highland Centre's halls give you somewhere dry to retreat to if the Scottish weather has other ideas.