New Alyth Model Animal Zoo

The Model Animal Zoo near Blairgowrie is a straightforward affair - essentially a collection of small animals in enclosures, the sort of place that works brilliantly for under-tens and absolutely nowhere else. You'll find rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, and various other domestic creatures, all relatively tame and handleable if the staff permit it on the day. It's the kind of attraction that takes forty minutes maximum to work through, even if you're moving at toddler pace.

For families with young children camped at Five Roads Caravan Park - a mere ten-minute drive away - this could fill a wet afternoon perfectly well. Older kids will find it rather thin by lunchtime. The animals themselves aren't wild or particularly exotic; don't expect drama or adrenaline. What you get is accessibility and the chance for smaller children to get genuinely hands-on with creatures they might otherwise only see in picture books.

Admission details aren't readily available online, which is frustrating, so phone ahead before making the trip. Opening hours are equally mysterious. It's essentially a family-run operation rather than a polished tourist attraction, which means it has genuine charm but also means you can't bank on it being open when you fancy a visit.

If you're basing yourself at nearby Nethercraig or Blairgowrie Holiday Parks and you've got children under seven, worth knowing about. Don't detour specially for it. Think of it as a backup plan, not a headline event.