WITH Snow Patrol and The Killers headlining T in the Park, with a bill including Scots stars Paolo Nutini, The Fratellis and The View, this year's festival season is shaping up to be the best yet.

Alongside T in the Park the number of festivals has boomed with events such as the Wickerman, in Dumfries, Belladrum, in Inverness, and Indian Summer right here in Glasgow.

And with the Connect Festival at Inveraray adding to the mix of so-called "boutique" festivals this year, weather permitting, it could be the best summer yet for music fans.

Whether you plan to take the high road or stay put in the city, VICKY DAVIDSON takes a look at the best of the fests

BIG IN FALKIRK May 5-6 (Sat & Sun), Callendar Park, Falkirk, www.biginfalkirk. com WHO? Past performers include McFly, Snow Patrol, Orson, Sandi Thom and Deacon Blue. This year's line up is still to be announced but look out for lots of up-and-coming homegrown talent.

Now in its eighth year, Scotland's national street arts festival also boasts a whole host of theatre and drama events .

BEST FOR? An easygoing fun family day out, and best of all it's free!

HOW MANY? Around 100,000 people usually attend.

HOW MUCH? Free.

HOW HANDY? About half an hour by road from Glasgow, and train and bus links are excellent.

ISLE OF SKYE FESTIVAL May 25-26 (Fri & Sat), Ashaig Airstrip, Broadford, Isle of Skye www.skyemusicfestival.co.uk WHO? Expect a very cool bill. Last year's artists included local boy Mylo, KT Tunstall, Sparks, Optimo DJs, Justin Robertson and folkie ravers the Peatbog Faeries. This year's line-up TBC.

WHY? With its great, out of the way location this is one of the hippest festivals in Scotland.

BEST FOR? Scenery, wild West Coast weather, midges and excellent DJs and bands.

HOW MANY? 8000 folk last year.

HOW MUCH? £75 for weekend ticket, incl camping and parking; £40 day ticket, incl parking.

HOW HANDY? At almost 200 miles, including a crossing of the Skye Bridge, it will take around five hours to get there by car - but why hurry through some of Scotland's best scenery?

ROCKNESS Dates to be confirmed, but the local Tourist Information have July pencilled in. Village of Dores, five miles south of Inverness. www. rockness.co.uk WHO? Last year's inaugural event featured superstar DJ Fatboy Slim, Mylo, Carl Cox, the Scratch Perverts, Stanton Warriors and X-Press 2. This year's line-up TBC.

WHY? Last year's one-day event was a massive success.

BEST FOR? Banging "monster" tunes and Nessie kitsch.

HOW MANY? Last year 20,000 punters turned up.

HOW MUCH? Price TBC.

HOW HANDY? Inverness is three hours by road from Glasgow, trains are infrequent and fiddly. Citylink ran buses last year from Glasgow.

T IN THE PARK July 6-8 (Fri-Sun), Balado Airfield, Kinross, near Perth. www.tinthepark.co.uk WHO? The Killers and Snow Patrol headline, with Paolo Nutini, the Fratellis, the View, Scissor Sisters, Razorlight, Kasabian, Kings of Leon, Mika, My Chemical Romance, the Arcade Fire, Tori Amos, Amy Winehouse, Damien Rice and Lily Allen all on the bill.

WHY? The daddy of all Scottish festivals, it's big, slick and runs like clockwork. This year, for the first time, the event will run for three days, with the main arena opening on Friday for campers.

BEST FOR? This is where you'll find the biggest bands and the most insane crowd.

HOW MANY? 75,000 each day.

HOW MUCH? £140 for the weekend, £62.50 Sat/Sun day tickets.

HOW HANDY? Shuttle leaves Buchanan Street every 10 minutes or so. It should take about an hour-and-a-half from Glasgow.

THE WICKERMAN July 20-21 (Sat & Sun), East Kirkcarswell Farm, Dundrennan, Kirkcudbright.

www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk WHO? The Orb, the Beat, the Rezillos, the Yardbirds, Eat Static, I Am Kloot, Peatbog Faeries, loads of Scottish talent and many weird and wonderful spaced- oddities.

WHY? Since it started in 2002 the festival has grown organically and is now viewed as a real alternative to the super-fests. It's eco-friendly and also features lots of sideshow entertainments.

BEST FOR? Anyone with hippy tendencies looking for an old-fashioned festival experience that's good for kids in a fab countryside setting. And anyone who fancies seeing a 30-foot Wicker Man sacrificed to the "festival gods" on the Saturday night.

HOW MANY? 15,000.

HOW MUCH? £65, kids under 12 go free with an adult, and camping is free.

HOW HANDY? It will take a little over two hours to drive the 100 miles from Glasgow, as the roads off the M74 get a bit twisty. Trains run to Dumfries from Glasgow Central, and in previous years buses have been laid-on too.

BELLADRUM TARTAN HEART August 10-11 (Fri & Sat), Belladrum Estate, 10 miles out of Inverness, near Drumnadrochit. www. tartanheartfestival.co.uk WHO? Bill not yet announced, last year's acts included Echo and the Bunnymen, Arlo Guthrie, Embrace, Mystery Jets, Lee Scratch Perry, Biffy Clyro, King Creosote and the Automatic. With five stages, including a BBC Radio Scotland new talent stage and a Grassroots stage, there will be about 50 acts each day.

WHY? It already has a reputation for being well-run and great fun.

BEST FOR? Seeing many of the mainstream acts you'd find at other festivals, but in holiday mood for a Highland fling.

HOW MANY? 10,000 each day.

HOW MUCH? £70 for the weekend, incl camping and parking.

HOW HANDY? About 3.5 hours by car from Glasgow, Citylink ran buses last year, £22 return from Glasgow.

CONNECT 31 August-2 September (Fri-Sun), Inveraray Castle, Inveraray, www.connectmusicfestival.com WHO? No names yet, but organisers promise a chilled out bill. Think older, credible artists like Lou Reed rather than the latest indie heroes.

WHY? It's billed as a "lifestyle event" with decent food and drink for the more mature music fan with a few quid to spend.

BEST FOR? Oldies with a taste for luxury.

HOW MANY? 20,000 HOW MUCH? £85 for weekend ticket with camping, £70 without. Luxury teepees and pods' available for hire, but they're pricey.

HOW HANDY? A 90-minute drive from Glasgow; buses will also run from the city.

INDIAN SUMMER Date still TBC, but last year's was the first weekend in September, location not yet confirmed, but a return to Victoria Park could be on the cards.

www.indiansummerglasgow.com WHO? A maverick festival with a cutting-edge bill of which last year welcomed Antony And The Johnsons, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gang of Four, The Fall and Scots acts 1990s, Camera Obscura and My Latest Novel.

WHY? It's a classy boutique festival and if the weather turns bad you can always walk home!

BEST FOR? Urbanite indie fans who get the shakes at the thought of a weekend in a field.

HOW MANY? Intimate 5000-capacity.

HOW MUCH? Last year it was £60 for a two-day pass, £35 per day.

HOW HANDY? As near as you'll get to a festival in your own back yard.

LOOPALLU 21-22 Sept (Fri & Sat), Ullapool, North-West Highlands. www.loopallu.co.uk WHO? Dreamed up in 2005 by bluegrass kitsch covers band Hayseed Dixie, it has also played host to The Stranglers, The Undertones, Alabama 3 and folkier ceilidh-type bands such as Shooglenifty.

WHY? Ullapool is a picturesque fishing town of 1200 friendly locals, worth a visit at any time, but with a big tent full of party animals it's even better.

BEST FOR? Should appeal to a slightly older crowd who like old-school rock/post-punk and great pubs and good food in a lovely setting.

HOW MANY? 3000-capacity.

HOW MUCH? £50 for a weekend ticket, under-12s go free.

HOW HANDY? At 57 miles north-west of Inverness it will take the best part of five hours to drive from Glasgow.

Best take the bus!