Pine Marten Lodge - Fun Days Out

Landmark Forest Adventure Park is a nature-based theme and adventure park in Carrbridge, set within an area of ancient pine woodland. It opened in 1970 and was one of the first purpose-built visitor centres in Europe.

There are around 22 attractions, a mix of outdoor and indoor. You can zoom down the Wild Water Coasters, tackle treetop nets and climbing challenges, and meet life-sized dinosaurs in Dinosaur Kingdom. The Butterfly House, the Bamboozeleum and the Red Squirrel Trail add quieter stops, and there are nature trails through the forest. The Tropical Hot-House and Dinosaur Kingdom give you somewhere under cover if the weather turns. It works well for families with children who like to be active outdoors.

Tip: Book online in advance, as tickets are date specific and cheaper than buying on the day.

Highland Wildlife Park is a 105-hectare safari park and zoo in Kingussie, set within the Cairngorms National Park. It is run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the charity that also runs Edinburgh Zoo, and focuses on species from tundra and mountain habitats around the world. It is also home to Scotland's only polar bears.

You can walk around the park on foot, and there is a drive-through reserve where you can see animals such as elk, vicuna and bison from your car. Stay in your vehicle throughout and don't feed the animals. If you'd like a guided experience, you can book a Reserve Tour with a Discovery Ranger, which takes you around the drive-through reserve. It suits families and anyone keen on wildlife and conservation.

Tip: Book tickets online in advance, as slots can sell out at weekends and school holidays. Pets are not permitted, including in the car park, apart from registered assistance dogs and support animals, so leave dogs at the lodge.

The Macallan is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery at Craigellachie, founded in 1824. It sits on a 485-acre estate that includes Easter Elchies House, the building shown on every bottle, and a 1.5 mile stretch of the River Spey. The modern distillery building was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize and won the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland award.

Visits are through The Macallan Experiences, led by the distillery's expert team, which look at the craft and heritage behind the whisky. You can also book a table at The Macallan Bar, which overlooks the Speyside countryside and has a wide selection of Macallan single malts, or dine at TimeSpirit Restaurant. The distillery is not suitable for children, and the bar and first floor are for over-18s only, with ID checked.

Tip: Experiences must be booked at least 24 hours in advance, and bring ID for the bar and first floor.

The Glenlivet is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery near Ballindalloch in Moray. It is the oldest legal distillery in the Highlands, founded by George Smith, the first person in Scotland to apply for and receive a licence to produce spirit legally. Illicit distilling was common across Speyside before that, and the story of how it gave way to licensed production is a big part of the distillery's history.

The distillery is a major stop on Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail, which links seven working Speyside single malt distilleries. On the Glenlivet tour, visitors can sample three of the products after paying a fee. It is a good pick if you want to learn where a famous whisky name comes from and see a working distillery for yourself.

Brodie Castle is a well-preserved Z-plan tower house near Forres, in the gentle Moray countryside. The rose-coloured castle was the ancestral home of the Brodie clan for over 400 years, and the family has been linked to the land since the 12th century. Inside you'll find fine furniture, ceramics and an art collection that runs from Dutch Old Masters to modern watercolours, plus a library of over 6,000 volumes.

Outside, the Playful Garden is full of characters inspired by the Brodie family's colourful history, including the 6.5m Brodie Bunny, thought to be the largest rabbit sculpture in the UK. There are estate walks, a café and a shop, and an ancient Pictish monument, Rodney's Stone, in the grounds. In spring the grounds are carpeted with over 100 varieties of daffodil. It suits families, history fans and anyone who likes a wander round big grounds.

Tip: Check the National Trust for Scotland website for current castle opening and tour arrangements before you set off.

Cawdor Castle stands near Nairn in the Scottish Highlands. It is built around a 15th-century tower house, with later additions enclosing a courtyard reached by a drawbridge. The castle began as a Calder property and passed to the Campbells in the 16th century. In the lowest level of the tower you can see the remains of the small holly tree it was built around. It is linked to Shakespeare's Macbeth, though the story is largely fiction and the castle was built long after Macbeth's time.

Outside, there are three gardens: the Walled Garden, the Flower Garden and the Wild Garden. Cawdor Big Wood has nature trails through ancient oakwood. You can tour the castle with an audio guide, available in 10 languages. There is also a 9-hole golf course and the Courtyard Café for a break.

Tip: The castle and gardens only open to visitors for part of the year, so check the Cawdor Castle website for reopening dates before you set off.

Tomatin is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky distillery in the village of Tomatin, about 25 minutes south of Inverness. The distillery was established in 1897, closed in 1906 and reopened in 1909. By 1974 it had 23 stills and was the largest malt distillery in the world. That number was later reduced to 12, as the focus moved to single malts.

The distillery offers tours, and you can book them through its website. Its whiskies are known for being unpeated, light, soft and fruity, and it also makes Cù Bòcan, a lightly peated single malt. It suits whisky lovers and anyone curious about how a Highland distillery has changed over more than a century. The Takara Shuzo company bought the distillery in the 1980s, and the Japanese owners remain part of its story.

Tip: Tours can be booked through the Tomatin website.

Dallas Dhu is a Speyside malt whisky distillery in Forres, Moray, built around 1900 and originally making whisky for the Roderick Dhu blend. It stopped distilling in 1983 and has been a whisky museum since 1992, cared for by Historic Environment Scotland. Much of the original equipment and many of the buildings survive, so it works as a time capsule of the distiller's art.

You can see the kiln where barley was dried over a lightly-peated fire, the mash tun, and the six washbacks where yeast turned the sugary wort into wash. You can also step inside the still house, described as the spiritual heart of the distillery. The grounds and the two-storey malt barn are open to wander, and the distillery is a stop on Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail.