THE popular image is of cackling crones casting curses over a cauldron. But Scotland's witches and warlocks say that nothing could be farther from the truth as they prepare for the biggest gathering in the UK's pagan calendar.

Thousands of believers in witchcraft and other nature-based religions are getting ready to travel to Brighton - by plane, train and car, apparently, not by broomstick - for the annual Witchfest International. Scores of coven members from Scotland will be there as well.

No virgins will be sacrificed, instead there will be talks on their faith, networking, dances, and shopping - for all your essential witchy needs. There may also be some moon worship and a few rituals to attend.

Witch Gette Boal, from Barrhead, will head down with other members of her coven. The 44-year-old has been practicing Wicca, as devotees call it, for 15 years and is unusual in that she doesn't hide her faith from anyone.

She said: "There are thousands of us. But there are also many who are suspicious of the attention they would receive so they choose not to say and keep it a secret.

"We have one elder in our group who has been practicing Wicca for a very long time, but not even her family or anyone else outside the coven knows."

She added: "Being a witch has become more accepted in society and even the police have their own Pagan federation. I think with the growth of belief in holistic therapies people now approach things like witchcraft with a much more open mind."

She is quick to dispel myths about witchcraft, and says that those who believe it involves 'something demonic' are wide of the mark.

Gette said: "There is a huge misconception about witchcraft being devil worship, and it is just wrong. For a start witches do not believe in the devil, and say that only people can have evil intentions."

However, devotees do practice magic, which comes in many different styles, such as paper craft, candle magic, and herbalism. In some ceremonies, a coven will create a circle and call on the classical elements – earth, wind, water and fire – to come to their aid.

But anyone hoping to use 'spellcraft' to win their heart's desire or do harm to a rival will be disappointed.

Gette said: "The most important thing is that your intention has to be benign, and you must also believe in it, or it does not work. For example, if someone comes looking for a spell to make someone love them, that will not work. You cannot use magic to force anyone to do anything. The guiding rule is 'harm ye not', but 'do as you will."

The growth in Paganism and its offshoots, including Wicca, Druidism, and Shamanism, can be seen in recent Scottish census data, which showed that there was under 2,000 registered pagans in Scotland in 2001, doubling to more than 5,000 by the time of the 2011 poll.

Best described as a very broad church, pagans and witches celebrate the changing of the seasons, with eight 'sabbats' – or festivals – each year.

Some worship the pre-Christian pantheons of gods found in Europe and beyond, as well as gods and goddesses of nature such as Sun and Moon deities.

John Macintyre, presiding officer of the Scottish Pagan Federation, said: "There has certainly been a fairly dramatic growth in paganism in Scotland and other European countries since the end of the Second World War.

"The reason why people are turning to alternative religions is more complex. It is only since the middle of the last century that membership of religious bodies became a matter of choice as up until then people pretty took the faith their parents had - because of that, some people find that the organised religions do not meet their spiritual needs and look for something else."

He said that paganism chimes with many in the modern world for three main reasons: its adherents venerate nature, believe in equality between the sexes, and do not follow any 'text-bound, restrictive, doctrine'.

Macintyre said: "A lot of those who practice paganism are active in the ecological or environmental field, and we worship the living earth and believe that nature is sacred. Its rise could very well be mirrored by the increased awareness of green issues.

"We also worship goddesses as well as gods, and the divine female is an important part of our beliefs instead of the patriarchal systems which religions follow - and paganism is all about looking for an individual spiritual truth. Pagans seek things for themselves, rather than follow any specific doctrine."

He joked: "Although I'm the presiding officer of the Federation, I'm really just a boring administrator. There's nothing like a 'High Priest of the Pagan Church' I work for the rights of pagans and to keep the informal networks of those who follow the faith in touch with each other."

Witchfest takes place this Friday and Saturday.