Authors on the moors
Margaret Drabble, Kate Atkinson, Melvyn Bragg, Alan Sillitoe and Deborah Moggach are among the authors talking about their work in the Yorkshire Dales during the coming fortnight.
Ilkley Literature Festival. Until October 21. Some sessions free, most range from £3-£8. 01943 816714, ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk (may not be accessible using some browsers).
Spirit guides
See whirling dervishes, get in touch with your past lives, get a head massage or a psychic reading at the Mind Body Spirit Northern Festival this weekend.
G-MEX Centre, Manchester. Today and tomorrow, 10am - 6pm. Adults £5, seniors, students under 22 (ID needed) and other concessions £3, under 15s free. 020-7371 9191, mbsfestival.com.
Carriage returns
Last of the steam locomotives. Engines and rolling stock from the early 1960s are running on the West Somerset Railway this weekend. (Dunster-Dunster Castle both days, Minehead-Porlock Sunday only.)
October 6 and 7. See west-somerset-railway.co.uk for fares.
Herefordshire fare
Demonstrations by guest chefs are on the menu at a festival of local food and drink at Herefordshire's Eastnor Castle this weekend. James Martin of Ready, Steady Cook is due there tomorrow.
Near Ledbury. Today and tomorrow, 11am - 5pm. Adults £3- £5, children £2- £3. 01531 633160, eastnorcastle.com .
Military perspectives
From grand battle scenes to sketches drawn in prisoner-of-war camps, The Soldier in Art is the theme of an exhibition in London this weekend.
National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea. Today and tomorrow, 10am-5.30pm. Free. 020-7730 0717, national-army-museum.ac.uk.
Black forum
Join writers, politicians and historians to consider the past and likely future contribution of London's black population to the making of the capital.
Museum of London , London Wall Today, 11am-5pm. Adults £7.50, concessions £5. 020-7814 5777, museumoflondon.org.uk.
Hunt the mushroom
Deadly or delicious - that is the theme of a fungus hunt from the North of England Lead Mining Museum at Killhope tomorrow. Plus barbecue.
Weardale , Co Durham, on A689 between Stanhope and Alston. Starts 1pm. Normal admission (with/without mine visit): adults £5/£3.40, children £2.50/£1.70, families (2 adults/2 children) £12.50 /£8.50, plus £2 for the fungus event. 01388 537505.
Final flypast
Vintage aircraft take to the skies for the last time this year at the Shuttleworth Collection tomorrow.
Old Warden Aerodrome, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. 10am - 6pm, flying starts at 2pm. Adults £10. 01767 626228.
