Dufftown Fairy Village

Deep in the Aberdeenshire hills near Keith sits something genuinely odd - a fairy village built into the landscape by locals with far too much time and imagination. Tiny cottages, each no bigger than a garden shed, line miniature streets complete with lampposts and benches scaled for creatures six inches tall. It's the sort of thing that shouldn't work but somehow does.

The whole setup feels like stepping into someone's elaborate fever dream. There are wee shops, a post office, even a pub. Some buildings are proper crafted affairs; others are bit ramshackle, which somehow adds to the charm. Kids will spend a solid hour poking about, spotting details - a tiny garden fork, a minuscule door knocker, painted window frames that actually open.

Truth is, this won't be everyone's cup of tea. It's wonderfully weird rather than polished or grand. There's no entrance fee that I could find, and you can wander round as long as you fancy. Best visited when the light's good - late afternoon works brilliantly for photos, and fewer tour groups tend to be about.

If you're staying at Hillside Havens nearby - which gets consistently top marks - this makes an easy afternoon diversion. Pair it with a walk in the surrounding countryside rather than banking on the village alone for a full day out. The eccentric spirit of the place is rather Scottish, mind you. Utterly unmarked on most maps, which rather suits it.