Scotland/Shetland Wool Week 2017 Tour
What a wonderful trip! I was not sure what to expect, but this trip was perfect for me.
Eileen M., Shetland Sept 2017
Eileen M., Shetland Sept 2017
Day 1: Thur. Sept. 21, 2017-- Glasgow Arrival After our arrival at the Glasgow Airport, we took a tour of the city of Glasgow, known as the merchant city and the largest city in Scotland. After a tour of the harbor and quick stop at the Kelvingrove Museum, we headed over to the amazing Glasgow Cathedral, dating from the 13th century. Of great interest were the lower chambers where scenes from the TV series 'Outlander' were shot. Then a visit across the street to Provand's Lordship, the oldest and only medieval house in Glasgow. Built in 1471 as part of St. Nicholas' Hospital, it contains a collection of historic Scottish furniture and has a lovely medicinal garden in the back.
An added bonus of my adventure with your travel group is that inspiration and enthusiasm for knitting seems boundless upon returning home! JoAnn R., Shetland Sept 2017
Then on to Stirling Castle, one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland. Sitting atop Castle Hill, surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, the views are magnificent. Used as both a fortress and residence, many Scottish Kings and Queens have been born, crowned, and died here. Most notorious of these was Mary, Queen of Scots. We toured the Great Hall, the largest banquet hall ever built in Scotland with its galleries for minstrels and trumpeters, the Royal Palace, one of the best preserved Renaissance buildings in the UK, the Chapel Royal, the Great Kitchens and Queen Anne's Gardens.
But most impressive where the Stirling Tapestries, a set of 7 hand-woven tapestries on the walls of the Queen's Inner Hall in the Royal Palace. Based on the Hunt of the Unicorn series (from the 1500s) they were completed over 13 years at the cost of £2 million. On Marci's last visit here they were still working on them, it was so nice to see them completed!
Then on to the lovely Victorian town of Pitlochry in the Perthshire Highlands where we spent the next couple of nights at the Pitlochry Dundarach Hotel.
Day 2: Fri. Sept. 22, 2017 -- Pitlochry
Today we started the day off with a bang (actually a dram) and tour of the Blair Athol Distillery. We then had a tour of the lovely town of Pitlochry, including a stop at the Heather Gems factory, where lovely jewelry is made from compressed local heather (and what a lovely shop!), then on to the salmon fish ladders (and boy can they jump!).
After lunch, we took a drive through the Perthshire hills to the 7,000 acre Leault Farm where we were able to participate in the working day of a Highland Shepherd and his sheepdogs. After an interesting and somewhat amusing herding demonstration, some of our travelers gave a hand at sheep shearing - with hand shears! At the end of the day we headed back to Pitlochry for a lovely dinner at a local pub with plenty of steak and ale pie, sticky toffee pudding, and live music! (and then hot toddies back at the hotel).
The Great Escape
Day 3: Sat. Sept. 23, 2017 -- Cairngorms and Aberdeen
Today we left Pitlochry and traveled through the Cairngorms National Park, the largest national park in the UK, famous for its hiking, hunting and fishing...and Royal Residence, Balmoral Castle. The park was established in 2003 and its landscape is spectacular - a large upland plateau with a beautiful mountain range!
Today we left Pitlochry and traveled through the Cairngorms National Park, the largest national park in the UK, famous for its hiking, hunting and fishing...and Royal Residence, Balmoral Castle. The park was established in 2003 and its landscape is spectacular - a large upland plateau with a beautiful mountain range!
Our first stop was at Braemar Castle near Braemar in Aberdeenshire. From the late middle ages, this castle was a stronghold of the Earls of Mar. The current building, constructed in 1628 by John Erskine, was an important Garrison after the 1745 Jacobite rising.
We then continued on through the Grampian Mountains, with lots of heather and hunters, through Glenshee with its hairy 'coos' (Highland Cattle) and pheasants. We stopped for a lovely visit and tour of Crathie Kirk, famed as the regular place of worship for the British Royal Family while in Scotland - Queen Elizabeth should be here tomorrow! Queen Victoria laid the first foundation stone in 1893 (her bust is situated above this stone). Next door is the graveyard where several of the local people who served Queen Victoria are buried, the most famous being John Brown. And next door to that is Balmoral Castle, but that is not part of today's tour since the Queen is in residence. Darn....
We then had lunch at the Victorian village of Ballatar, a burgh in Aberdeenshire on the river Dee. Being one of the major gateways to the Cairngorms National Park, it had several shops catering to hunting and fishing - some of the girls stocked up on their fly-fishing supplies!
And finally our arrival in Aberdeen, with a tour of the local fishing village of Footdee (Fittie) on the east end of the harbor. The area has been settled since Medieval times. The current village was laid out in 1809 by John Smith (the famous architect of Balmoral Castle) as a planned housing development, purpose-built to re-house Aberdeen's local fishing community.
And then all aboard the Northlink Ferry for our 13 hour over-night (with a brief stop in Orkney at 2AM) ferry ride to Lerwick, Shetland.
Everyone is settled in having a refreshment in the ferry lounge, making ready for the next adventure!
Leaving Aberdeen Harbor
And what a lovely night it was!
Day 4: Sun. Sept. 24, 2017 Arrival in Lerwick After a hardy ferry breakfast, we left the ship for the next adventure. Marci picked up the rental van, everyone was transported to their lovely new homes in town, then a bit of food shopping and exploration of downtown, with a quick change of clothing before Opening Ceremonies (has anyone seen my hat?)
Waiting for the show to begin..
Day 5: Mon. Sept. 25, 2017 Today folks went their various ways, some to classes, and some of us hopped on the bus for the north mainland tour. And what fun we had! Our driver Wilson and tour guide Margaret kept us 'in stitches'. Margaret, as it turns out, has often been an extra on the Shetland murder mystery series and was able to point out several shot locations along the way. We started out in Northmavine. From there we traveled to the amazing cliffs at Eshaness.
On the way we stopped at the Haa Museum in Tangwick, saw the site where the Gunister man was found and then had a lovely lunch at the St Magnus Bay Hotel in Hillswick.
Oh, boy, this is confusing!
We ended the day at the Ollaberry Community Center visiting with local spinners and weavers learning 'the Shetland Way' - and of course this included purchasing local handknits and having tea and homebakes. What a delicious way to end the day!
Day 6: Tues. Sept. 26, 2017 After a 6:30 morning stroll along the Knab to watch the ferry come in, we headed south to the Viking ruins at Jarlshof.
Then to another Stevenson lighthouse at Sumburgh Head, the southern most point in Shetland.
We stopped at the Iron Age ruins at Scatness and had a private tour, including the famous Betty Mowat's house, with our new friend Chris Dyer.
And then on to St Ninian's Tombolo to view the Church ruins overlooking the sea. On the way back to Lerwick, we stopped in Sandwick for a shopping spree at the visitor center (lots of knitwear made in Shetland at the Laurenee Odie Knitwear shop). And then back home for the evening where we ended our day with a group dinner at our lovely home in Lerwick overlooking the sea.
Day 7: Wed. Sept 27, 2017 Well, the only thing we could say about today was.....WOW! We hopped on two different ferries, crossing over Yell to get to Unst, seeing many sights along the way.
We then hiked through Hermaness 4 miles to get to some of the most stunning views we have ever seen.... the cliffs overlooking Muckle Flugga, the most northern point in the UK, well worth the effort! We met Jane who directed us to the 'gannetry' to see the cliffs of gannets, some still with babies. We could hear them several yards before we got there even over the roar of the wind and waves.
From there we went to Victoria's Tea House for a lovely lunch and quick visit of the Shetland boat exhibit.
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Well, maybe not so fast....
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And then to the Unst Heritage Center for a lovely exhibit on the famous Shetland Lace shawls as well as lessons on knitting with a knitting belt. On our wait for one of the ferries back, we met a lovely lady from Her Majesty's Coast Guard who was out on inspections (also a knitter whose exhibited work we had just seen the day before in Ollaberry) - Shetland sure is a small world...and we love it!
Day 8: Thurs. Sept. 28, 2017 This was our first stormy day in Shetland, but it sure didn't slow us down! A quick stop in a few shops in downtown Lerwick including the knit shop, Jamieson of Shetland, and the Shetland Times Book shop with a quick lunch at the Peerie Café.
And then a short ferry ride to Bressay for a textile exhibition at the lighthouse - Marci and Amy got to try weaving on their restored 4 harness barn loom! What a way to spend time on a stormy day!
A quick visit to the Textile Museum.....
Day 9: Fri. Sept 29, 2017 Another rainy day in Shetland, but it just didn't matter. Started out on Burra Isle at the Red Houss jewelry maker's shop and what a delight! From there we headed over to Burra Bears to see how the bears are made - and with Wendy's help, we've planned a colorwork class at the shop in which we will make our own unique Fair Isle fabric that will be sent to Shetland upon completion to be made into bears - what a fun way to learn colorwork!
A fabulous lunch at the Scalloway Hotel followed by a Wool Sorting lecture by Oliver Henry - boy, has he got some stories to tell! A quick chat with the lovely Kharis Leggate and Ella Gordon at the Jamieson and Smith Wool shop and then home for a brief rest before we headed out to celebrate our last night in Shetland at the Dance for Cushla (a charity dance event with music by local musicians).
Day 10: Sat. Sept 30, 2017 Our last day in Shetland was glorious! Blue skies, moderate temperature and wind.
Today was our day to wander around Lerwick starting with the Maker's Market, a last minute shopping spree of hand made items from Shetland.
Marci then spent the afternoon strolling through town, visited the beautiful cemetery on the ocean with several graves of those lost a sea.
And then off to the ferry for our 13 hour overnight passage to Aberdeen....
Day 11: Sunday Oct. 1, 2017
We arrived in Aberdeen early in the morning and, on the way to the airport, had a lovely tour of Aberdeen’s Old Town before we all hopped on our return flights back home.
Day 11: Sunday Oct. 1, 2017
We arrived in Aberdeen early in the morning and, on the way to the airport, had a lovely tour of Aberdeen’s Old Town before we all hopped on our return flights back home.
You both did such a great job of getting us around, cooking us dinner, and planning the trip of a lifetime.
Lynn A., Shetland Sept 2017
What a fabulous trip! I am already excited about returning to Shetland next year.
Eileen H., Shetland Sept 2017
Lynn A., Shetland Sept 2017
What a fabulous trip! I am already excited about returning to Shetland next year.
Eileen H., Shetland Sept 2017