The Ceramic Experience

You'll find yourself in a working pottery studio just outside Crieff where the focus is entirely on what potters actually do - throw clay, glaze, fire, repeat. The Ceramic Experience gives you a proper hands-on go at the wheel if you want one, or you can simply watch the artists at work and browse the finished pieces for sale.

It's the kind of place that appeals most to anyone with even a passing interest in craft. Kids enjoy the tactile side of it, though patience wanes after about 90 minutes if they're not actively making something. Adults who potter themselves will find it absorbing; those just after a casual browse might feel it's a bit niche. The studio itself is unpretentious - no gift shop theatre, just ceramicists getting on with their work.

If you're based at Braidhaugh Holiday Lodge or Comrie Croft, both within easy reach, this makes a sensible half-day stop rather than a full day out. Weather doesn't matter since you're indoors. The beauty of having it near Crieff is that you can combine it with the town's other attractions - Crieff Hydro or the Macrosty Park walks are both close enough for a proper day.

Check ahead for workshop availability and costs, as these vary. It's the kind of place that rewards turning up with an open mind rather than high expectations. Real, unglamorous, and honest about what it is.