Pumpkins at the Park, Highland Wildlife Park

Most pumpkin patches get three weekends. This one runs for a month, from the first Saturday in October through to the first day of November, in the grounds of a wildlife park in the Cairngorms.

The £4 entry buys the patch rather than the park. Along with the pumpkin picking it covers themed photo opportunities, a children's trail and farmyard play, and a kiosk serves hot drinks and sweet treats. The pumpkins themselves are sold separately and priced by size, so what you end up paying depends on what you carry away.

The important thing to understand is what the ticket does not include. Entry to the pumpkin patch does not get you into Highland Wildlife Park itself. If you want to see the animals as well, patch visitors get 20 per cent off park admission, which is worth weighing up while you are out this far.

Capacity at the patch is limited and booking a slot in advance is recommended. Parking is free. Only registered assistance dogs and support animals are permitted anywhere at the park, so other pets have to stay at home.

The park is run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, a conservation charity, and society members pay a reduced rate at the patch. It sits at Kincraig near Kingussie, which makes this a long drive for most families and an easy detour for anyone already in the Cairngorms.