Scotland/Shetland Wool Week 2022 Tour
I loved every minute! Every minute! Cricket C. Sept. 2022
Thanks so much for making this happen - hoping to go on other adventures with you in the future! Laurie B. Sept 2022
Thanks so much for making this happen - hoping to go on other adventures with you in the future! Laurie B. Sept 2022
Day 1: Tues. Sept. 20, 2022 -- Arrival in Inverness -- Rothiemurchus Estate
Today our tour began in the capital of the Highlands - Inverness. Here we boarded our bus and headed south to the beautiful Cairngorms National Park.
Our first stop along the way was a tour through the Roethiemurchus Highland Estate located just south of Aviemore in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. Here we learned about the topography, saw the 'hairy coos', and fed the herd of red deer. Rothiemurchus consists of 10,000 hectacres of ancient Caledonian forest, locks, rivers, glens, mountains, and wild landscapes and has been meticulously cared for by the Grant family for over 450 years!
One of the most famous Scottish memoirs ever written - 'Memoirs of A Highland Lady' , was written by Elizabeth Grant who lived at the Doune located on the estate during the 1840s. The memoirs, published in the late 1800s, have been in print ever since and are very insightful as to life in the Highlands during this time.
We then made a quick stop at Carrbridge, known as the old packhorse bridge or funeral bridge, built in 1717 (yes, fairly new), in order to cross the River Dulnain when in full spate - often used for burials at the Church of Duthil on the other side of the river.
And our last stop of the day - the Grant Arms Hotel in the charming town of Grantown-on-Spey, where we spent the next three nights. And what a lovely group welcoming dinner!
Day 2: Wed., Sept. 21, 2022 -- Glen Grant Distillery, Johnstons of Elgin
What a way to start the day - a 10AM Whisky tour at the beautiful Glen Grant Distillery. This Speyside distillery, located in Rothes, was started in 1840 by the Grant brothers. We learned the ins and outs of making whisky, sampled a wee dram or two, and then toured the beautiful gardens.
Glen Grant Distillery's most distinctive feature is its excellent Victorian woodland gardens which are set in a glen behind the distillery. The scenic gorge path was beautiful!
We then headed to Elgin and the famous Johnstons of Elgin wool and cashmere mill. Here we learned about the processing of cashmere, had a fabulous lunch at the cafe, and then, of course, a little shopping. Johnston's has been manufacturing for over 200 years and is the only Scottish mill to transform cashmere from fiber to garment - and they still use teasels!
And then a stroll over to the Elgin Cathedral ruins. The cathedral, known as the Lantern of the North, was established in 1224. The cathedral exhibit has several impressive architectural fragments. After a great wander along the grounds and up the towers, we headed back to our hotel for a lovely stroll along the River Spey.
Day 3: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022 -- Culloden Battlefied, Cawdor Castle Our first visit today was the historic Culloden Battlefield, the scene of the 1746 Battle between the Jacobite and British Armies with a fatality rate of 1,500 Jacobites to 50 Redcoats.
And then on to one of our favorite locations, the beautiful Cawdor Castle for lunch at the Courtyard Cafe. Cawdor Castle dates from the late 14th century with the ancient medieval tower built around the legendary holly tree and is most famous for MacBeth, the Thane of Cawdor. Everywhere you look, Cawdor Castle is steeped in intrigue and history, but it is still home to the Cawdor family to this day. The Castle gardens are magnificent for an afternoon stroll.
And then back to the lovely Grant Arms Hotel for our last group dinner. Original parts of the hotel date back to 1765, making it one of the oldest hotels in Scotland. And it has hosted many a famous resident, including Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II.
Day 4: Friday, Sept. 23 2022 -- Highland Safari and Chocolate! Today we said goodbye to Grantown-on-Spey and headed south into Perthshire, driving through the small town of Weem and ending in Dull, sister city to Boring in Oregon, USA. Here we loaded into Landrovers that came with handsome kilted Highland laddies and headed out for a Highland Safari into the mountains of Dull Wood. We had a great time hunting red deer and bunnies, and then back to the cafe for a lovely lunch after a very interesting Barn Owl demonstration.
After our invigorating safari, we made a visit to Ian Burnett, the famous Highland Chocolatier for a lovely talk and chocolate tasting. Ian is an award-winning artisan renowned for making the world's finest Velvet Truffles which have earned him worldwide recognition as a Truffle Specialist; he has received over 40 prestigious awards. And his chocolates were amazing!
And then we headed to Aberdeen where we boarded the overnight ferry for Shetland. On the way, we passed through several areas of interest including Dunkeld (site of a famous 1690 Jacobite battle), and Burnham Wood (made famous by MacBeth, with an oak tree that dates back to that time). And then on to our ferry for dinner and a smooth sailing to Shetland.
Day 5: Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 -- Arrival in Lerwick
Another glorious arrival in Lerwick, with a lovely sunrise over the island of Bressay! Marci and Amy spent the day getting folks settled into their homes, shopping for breakfast foods, and then had a little free time for a lovely stroll along the Knab on the coast in Lerwick. Some travelers already had classes and tours booked for the day, and some just took their time strolling and shopping in Lerwick.
Another glorious arrival in Lerwick, with a lovely sunrise over the island of Bressay! Marci and Amy spent the day getting folks settled into their homes, shopping for breakfast foods, and then had a little free time for a lovely stroll along the Knab on the coast in Lerwick. Some travelers already had classes and tours booked for the day, and some just took their time strolling and shopping in Lerwick.
Day 6: Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022 -- Boy, what high winds we had during the night! While some folks were in classes, others in lectures and on tours, some of us braved a journey out to Eshaness to see the cliffs and lighthouse, built by the famous Stevenson family. Our first stop was in Northmavine at the slow otter crossing. This little strip of land is where the North Sea almost meets the Atlantic and was used for boat portage right up to the 1950s, eliminating the need to sail all the way around Shetland. In Eshaness we were able to hike along the cliffs despite having to fight the wind - absolutely breathtaking!
Then over to the Ollaberry exhibition - a lovely display as always and a stock up on buttons with our friend Sharon. On the way home we stopped at the Bonhoga Gallery for yet more shopping and snacking, and then back to town to get ready for another busy day tomorrow!
Day 7: Monday, Sept. 26, 2022 -- Wow, another windy day in Shetland! While some folks were in classes, others in lectures and on tours, some of us headed to the West Mainland to hike to the Culswick Broch. And what fun we had! Brochs, built by the Picts during the Iron Age over 2,000 years ago, are unique to Scotland and Shetland. They were thought to be used as defensive structures to pass along warning signals. We traversed along the open moorland with peat bogs, sheep and croft ruins and had spectacular views of waves crashing against the cliffs and stacks.
From there we headed out to Walls for a great time at Silly Sheep Fibers and Woolly Wyvern, where we spent time shopping and being interviewed for next year's Shetland Wool Week promotional video. Then back to town for some last minute shopping along commercial street and a lovely dinner at the Dowry!
Day 8: Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022 -- What a glorious sunrise! While some folks were in classes, others in lectures and on tours, some of us headed out to the Isle of Burra for a lovely stroll in Hamnavoe, starting at the Sand of Meal, along the coast to the lighthouse at Fugla Ness. What beautiful views!
Then over to see Wendy at her Burra Bears studio to see how these famous teddies are made.
Our friends Mike and Gil at Red Houss jewelry are just down the road, where most of us found a little something, visited with the ponies, and of course Mike and Gil. In Scalloway we stopped into their wonderful museum, learned lots about the Shetland Bus, and then had a very filling lunch at KB.
And we couldn’t leave Scalloway without a quick visit and shopping spree at the wonderful Uradale Farm where Rodney gave us a talk about his sheep and life on the farm - it’s a good thing we are driving a big van!
Then back to Lerwick to rest up for the next days activities - what a great day, full of adventure and surprises!
Day 9: Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022 -- While some folks were in classes, others in lectures and on tours, some of us headed out early for a hike in one of our favorite locations - the Hermaness National Nature Reserve located on the northern isle of Unst. To get there we took a ferry from the mainland to the isle of Yell, and from there a second ferry to Unst. We were excited to see that a new boardwalk and circular trail for viewing the spectacular Muckle Flugga Lighthouse, the most northern lighthouse in the UK (and another Stevenson lighthouse) is now open. Unfortunately we had a bit of cloud cover, so the views were a bit obscured. We also found that the gannet population was a fraction of what we usually see - we hear that there is an avian bird flu that has drastically reduced numbers. But the hike was as glorious as ever!
From there we visited the Unst Heritage Centre in Haroldswick to see their amazing lace exhibit and chat with local knitters.
Then a quick coffee and tea stop at the lovely Victoria tea room, a visit to the Viking longhouse and boat, and then a quick trip back to the Belmont ferry to begin our voyage back to Lerwick.
The highlight of our day, though, was an unscheduled surprise visit to the Zephyr, an amazing pelagic fishing vessel docked in Lerwick harbor and owned by our friends Netta and Johnny - wow! Now this is a boat you can get lost on! It was great to see our friends again!
Day 10: Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 -- While folks were in classes, others in lectures and on tours, Marci and Amy had a meeting with Marie Bruhat in Fair Isle to look at what the island there might have to offer our travelers who might like to visit there on their own. Marie very nicely toured us around the island, her studio, and had us try out her knitting machines, as well as made us a lovely lunch (and the best sticky toffee pudding we ever tasted!) And then a tour of the Fair Isle Museum with Eileen, really a great exhibit! Marci and Amy had been trying to get out to Fair Isle for several years now, so this was indeed a special day. Then back to the mainland for an afternoon lecture on the Truck System.
Leaving Fair Isle with Hughie
Day 11: Friday, Sept. 30, 2022 -- While some folks were in classes, others in lectures and on tours, some of us braved the high winds and headed south to the Sumburgh Lighthouse on the southern tip of Shetland - and yes, another Stevenson Lighthouse! The sustained winds were at 40-60mph! But we made it safely, wandered around the lighthouse, and had a lovely tea party at the cafe, watching the waves crash along the cliffs.
Another bad hair day in Shetland!
Then a glance at Jarlshof and Scatness, a quick stop at St. Ninian's and a scenic drive up to Bigton to see their impressive knitwear display.
St. Ninian's Tombolo
On the way home we stopped to see our friend Wilma at the Shetland Designer Studio for a little shopping and inspiration.
We then headed to the Shetland Museum and Archives for a little browsing among the displays.
We stayed for a little poetry reading at the Lerwick Brewery. And then we ended the evening with the big event a lot of us had been waiting for - the Aly Bain/Phil Cunningham concert at the Mareel Center! And how wonderful it was!!
Lightly Swims the Swan
Day 12: Saturday, October 1, 2022 -- Today sadly was our last day in Shetland. While some folks were in classes, others in lectures and on tours, Marci and Amy were busy getting everyone out of their homes and luggage safely stored at the ferry terminal - and then it was off to the Maker’s Market, down to Commercial Street for some last minute shopping, a visit to the Clickimin Broch, a quick tour of the Shetland Museum and Archives, a stop at the Craft Fair at the Mareel Center for some jewelry, and then one last walk along the harbor before boarding the NorthLink Ferry for our overnight journey across the North Sea to Aberdeen. We certainly will miss our new (and old) friends and look forward to next year!
Day 13: Sunday, October 2, 2022 -- Today we arrived in Aberdeen early in the morning after an uneventful night on the ferry, boarded our bus and all arrived safely at the Aberdeen Airport for our return flights back home.
I had such a wonderful time and enjoyed all of the companionship! Laura C. Sept. 2022
Thank you for putting together such a wonderful Wool Week program in the Shetlands, I enjoyed every bit of it! Linda A. Sept. 2022
Thank you for putting together such a wonderful Wool Week program in the Shetlands, I enjoyed every bit of it! Linda A. Sept. 2022