Weaving through the Highlands and Islands of Scotland

7/29/2019 Weaving through the Highlands and Islands of Scotland

1/9

10-22 September, 2013

Presented by:


2/9

Tuesday, Sep 10

th

Depart the U.S. for your overnight flight to Edinburgh, Scotland

(flight on your own contact Adventure Travel)

Wednesday, Sep 11th

Arrival into Edinburgh, Scotlands capital. Meet and greet and transfer to accommodations.

Afternoon at leisure to rest or explore the city on your own. This evening we will meet at our

accommodations and be transferred to The Prestonfield House Stables for a traditional Scottish

welcome evening. An unmissable evening of Scottish music, costume, bagpipes, fiddles and dance in

the magically historic setting of Prestonfield House. Enjoy exceptional entertainment with wine and

a gourmet dinner served by our kilted waiters, just moments from the Royal Mile.

Accommodations: Ibis Edinburgh Centre, Edinburgh (B,D) (or similar)

Thursday, Sep12th

This morning after a traditional Scottish breakfast we will enjoy a half day guided city tour. Discover

why Edinburgh was named the Athens of the North, see the monument dedicated to Scotlands

National Bard and explore Calton Hill on the Edinburgh Tour. Listen to facts and stories about

historic Edinburgh and the characters that have helped shape the city as it stands today. Lunch on

your own today with the suggestion of the famous Deacon Brodys on the Royal Mile. This afternoon

is free to enjoy time spent at the K1 Yarns Knitting Boutique or shopping the many souvenir and

Tartan shops along the Royal Mile. K1 Yarns has been supplying beautiful and unusual yarns to

knitters and crocheters in Scotland since 2005. Owner, Katharine Walker, is a passionate knitter and

has an obsession with seeking out the most beautiful and unique yarns for knitters and crocheters

who crave something different.

Accommodations: Ibis Edinburgh Centre, Edinburgh (B) (or similar)


3/9

Friday, Sep 13

th

This morning we will board our coach bound for the Scottish Borders. Covering about eighteen

hundred square miles, the Scottish Borders stretches from the rolling hills and moorland in the west,

through gentler valleys to the high agricultural plains of the east, and on to the rocky Berwickshire

coastline with its secluded coves and picturesque fishing villages. Our first stop will be at Locharron

Woolen Mills in Selkirk for a privately guided tour. Lochcarron of Scotland, manufacturer of

prestigious woven fabrics, contemporary accessories & bespoke highlander wear, designed & made

in the Scottish Border towns of Selkirk, Hawick & Langholm. Established in 1947 by J Morris Buchan,

Lochcarron builds on over 60 years of tradition & craftsmanship and utilizes state of the art

technology to constantly supply high quality innovative textiles. Lunch will follow at the Clovenfords

Hotel (lunch on your own expense). The Clovenfords Hotel has all the character, warmth and friendly

charm you would expect from an 18th century coaching inn. Then on to the Borders Textile

Towerhouse in Hawick. Borders Textile Towerhouse tells the stories behind some of the worlds most

famous fashions. Discover the Scottish Borders proud industrial past in a lively hands-on exhibition

for all ages. Learn about the people, processes, craft and history behind the clothes we take forgranted. Explore tweed and knitwears exciting fashion future, in our ever-changing catwalk display.

Evening arrival will have us in Melrose for the next two nights.

Accommodations: The George and Abbotsford Hotel, Melrose (B)(or similar)Saturday, Sep 14

th

After breakfast at the G & A we will depart for the Twist glass studio located in Selkirk. Michael

James Hunter earned his title of master glass maker from a traditional style apprenticeship served at

Wedgwood glass, working in teams he has ascended from the most basic job in the hot house to a

master chairing his own team over an 11 year period. Michael is proud of his background which

makes him unique in the UK to have successfully made the cross over into contemporary studio glass.

We will have the opportunity to try our own hand at glass blowing. We will then drive the very

scenic and country road between Selkirk and Moffatt stopping by the magnificentGray Mares Tail,

one of the highest waterfalls in Scotland, in an area of geological interest. Our coach will then bring

us to the beautiful banks of Loch Mary for lunch at Tibbie Shiels. Set between two lochs surrounded

by breathtaking scenery Tibbie Shiels has long been a popular destination for all. Tibbie Shiels Inn

offers excellent local food and drink, and a very friendly atmosphere (lunch on your own expense).

The day continues into Moffatt for some free time to wander the many shops and quaint streets.

Meeting at the famous Black Bull in the afternoon our tour will then proceed to Lockerbie, the site of


4/9

the gardens and memorial of the tragic Pan Am flight 103. Finally traveling through Gretna Green

we find our afternoon at Hadrians Wall with free time to explore and reflect the Scottish / English

tumultuous past.

Accommodations: The George and Abbotsford Hotel, Melrose (B or similar)

Sunday, Sep 15th

We bid farewell to the Borders region and travel north into the Trossachs region of Scotland. Our

first stop today will be in the historic town of Stirling at the Wallace Monument. Meet the real

Braveheart and see his awesome sword that saw action at Stirling Bridge. The true story of local

hero William Wallace is even more gripping than the Hollywood legend. Discover why other Scots

from Robert Bruce to Sir Walter Scott are honoured in The Hall of Heroes. We will then continue

into Stirlings historic path with a visit to the Old Town Jail. Lose your name and become a number

as you experience the chill oflife behind bars in Stirlings 19th century prison. Listen to the story of

the hangman, the reformer and the inmate told by an actor. Compare this experience with a day in

the life of a prisoner today before plotting your escape from the rooftop with views over the Old

Town. Our travels continue deep into the Trossachs to the charming town of Callander. Free time to

explore Callander for lunch before taking in a guided tour of the Rob Roy Visitors Center. Clan

leader, cattle trader, cattle thief, blackmailer - Rob Roy MacGregor has provoked powerful emotions

for more than three centuries. In The Visitor's Centre at the gateway to his beautiful Trossachs

homeland, you'll learn of the daring exploits which made him a hero to his own people - and

Scotland's most notorious outlaw. We will then depart for a country exploration of Balquhidder, the

final resting place of the rebel outlaw Rob Roy. We continue our journey north up the Scotch

Whiskey Heritage to Trail to our overnight accommodations in Ballater.

Accommodations: The Deeside Inn, Ballater (B or similar)


5/9

Monday, Sep 16

th

This morning we will drive to Leault Farms to learn about the highland sheep dogs. During a working

demonstration amidst some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland, you will see up to eight dogs

working as a team maneuvering sheep and ducks through various obstacles. Every dog has its own

set of commands enabling visitors to see just how each of them responds to their individual whistles

and each move by the dogs is explained by their handler, Neil Ross. Meet the collie pups, bottle-feed

the orphan lambs and take part in shearing a sheep. We continue this afternoon to the town of

Glenlivet for a traditional pub lunch (lunch on your own expense). Glenlivet is situated in the very

heart of Malt Whisky country. It is the perfect place to discover the secrets and history of one of

Scotland's most famous exports. On this exclusive tour we take you on a journey following in the

footsteps of George Smith, founder of the distillery to find out what makes Glenlivet such an iconic

whisky following is a visit to our traditional dunnage warehouse, where you can sample a dram

straight from one of our selected aged casks. Continue this evening to Aberdeen, home of the

Grampian Guild for dinner and drinks with our Scottish stitchers.

Accommodations: Holiday Inn Express, Aberdeen (B,D)

Tuesday, Sep 17th

After breakfast your tour of the beautiful Scottish Highlands starts with a visit to Cawdor Castle,

famous for its associations with Shakespeares Macbeth, who was promised the Thanedom of

Cawdor by the witches. Then to the battlefields of Culloden, where in 1746 the Jacobite cause, with

Bonnie Prince Charlies leadership, perished. Since the mid-nineteenth century the battlefield has

been a place of pilgrimage for people from Scotland and throughout the world. We will then

continue our journey to the banks of Loch Ness to Drumnadrochit for lunch (lunch on your own

expense). This afternoon finds us departing the highlands on a flight departure from Inverness at

5:30pm, arriving into Kirkwall, Orkney Islands at 6:15pm and transfer to our hotel.

Accommodations: The Ayre Hotel, Viking Kirkwall (B)


6/9

Wednesday, Sep 18

th

This morning finds us in the company of Ms Elizabeth Lovick, an avid fiber arts historian. She was

taught to knit by her Cornish grandmother when very young. From her home on the shore of Scapa

Flow in Orkney, Scotland, she teaches, designs and knits, specializing in bringing the old gansey, Fair

Isle and Shetland lace patterns to a new audience. After our pub lunch (lunch on your own expense)

we will explore the Churchill Barriers, built as part of naval defense to protect anchorage at Scapa

Flow during World War II. Visit the ornate Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners of war. Visit

Skara Brae and walk through the remains of the famous Neolithic village. See the pre-historic Ring

of Brodgar back en route to Viking Kirkwall.

Accommodations: The Ayre Hotel, Viking Kirkwall (B)

Thursday, Sep 19th

Today we will bid farewell to the Orkney Islands and fly to the Shetland Islands, departing from

Kirkwall at 10:55am arriving Sumburgh, Shetland at 11:30am. Our first stop today will be at Jarlshof,

one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Europe with the remains of three extensive village

settlements occupied from the Bronze Age to the Viking times. We continue our drive northward to

Lerwick stopping for lunch along the route (lunch on your own expense). This afternoon we will

travel to Sandness on the western shores of the island to visit Jamiesons Woolen Mill for a behindthe scene tour of the factory. Jamiesons is a family owned business, which has specialized in wool

from the native Shetland sheep for 5 generations.

Accommodations: TBD, Lerwick (B)

Friday, Sep 20th

This morning we will visit the Shetland Textile Museum. The museum is a community museum in

Shetlandthe only one of its kind dedicated to the islands textile heritage. Housed at the Bd of

Gremista on Lerwicks waterfront, the collection comprises over 500 knitted and woven items dating


7/9

from the nineteenth century to the present day. Temporary exhibitions show pieces from new

designers, and regular demonstrations of spinning and knitting make the STM a vibrant centre of

Shetlands textile culture and heritage.After lunch at Frankies Fish and Chips (lunch on your own

expense) we are off to Shetland Arts and Crafts for a Fair Isle Knitting Workshop. Inspired by

Shetland's dramatic scenery, heritage and culture, Shetland Arts and Crafts producers offer a unique

range of woodcraft, knitwear and textiles, fancy goods, fashion and home accessories, gifts, and fine

art.

Accommodations: TBD, Lerwick (B)

Saturday, Sep 21st

This morning we bid goodbye to the Fair Isle. Our flight will depart from Sumburgh at 11:50 am

arriving into Edinburgh at 1:15pm. Our destination this afternoon will on the outskirts of Edinburgh

at Dalhousie Castle, a magnificent 13th century fortress set within acres of wooded parkland on the

picturesque banks of the River Esk. From the moment you arrive at Dalhousie Castle, one of the

finest luxury hotels in Scotland, a warm Scottish welcome awaits. This afternoon we will enjoy a 2

hour ultimate Falconry experience on the grounds of Dalhousie. Enjoy one of the gentle owls gliding

into your gloved hand before delicately alighting. Although the owls are amongst our most friendly

and tactile birds, they are incredible hunters and will amaze you with their senses and silent flight. Awalk around the grounds with one of our Harris Hawks will allow it to demonstrate its speed, agility

and intelligence, as well as a very personable, mischievous streak! Observe the confidence and skill

of one of the Buzzards as they use their broad wings to glide effortlessly to your glove. You will also

have the opportunity to meet and handle one of our eagles in an encounter thats sure to be

memorable. Our farewell dinner tonight will be in The Dungeon Restaurant. The ancient barrel-

vaulted dungeons provide an unusual setting to enjoy the fine, traditional Scottish cuisine.

Accommodations: Dalhousie Castle, Bonnyrigg (B,D)

Sunday, Sep 22nd

Early morning transfer to the Edinburgh airport for your flight back to the US.


8/9

Total tour cost is $4,585.00

Prices per person based on double occupancy.

Single Supplement of $1200 per person, only one allotment for every 5 twins

These prices include:

Accommodation on Bed and Breakfast basis in standard rooms in the following hotels or similar: Ibis Edinburgh Centre. 3* -http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-2039-ibis-edinburgh-centre/index.shtml

The George and Abbotsford hotel, Melrose. 3* -http://www.georgeandabbotsford.co.uk/

The Deeside Inn Hotel, Ballater. 3* -http://www.crerarhotels.com/ourhotels/deeside_inn/

Holiday Inn Express Aberdeen. 3* -http://www.hieaberdeen.co.uk/

The Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall. 3* -http://www.ayrehotel.co.uk/

Hotel TBA in Lerwick. 3*

Dalhousie Castle, Edinburgh. 3* (superior rooms). -http://www.dalhousiecastle.co.uk/

25 seat executivecoach covering the following services:

Transfer In from Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh Hotel

Evening Transfer for Scottish evening

Half Day Edinburgh City Tour (max. 4 hours)

5 days touring (max. 8 hours)

Transfer from Kirkwall airport to Kirkwall hotel

Full Day touring in Kirkwall (max. 8 hours)

Transfer from Kirkwall Hotel to Kirkwall Airport

Transfer In and Full Day touring in Shetland

Full Day Touring in Shetland

Transfer Out from Lerwick hotel to Sumburgh Airport

Transfer In from Edinburgh Airport to Dalhousie Castle

Transfer Out from Dalhousie Castle to Edinburgh Airport

All Internal Airfare

English Speaking assistance to meet and greet the group upon arrival at Edinburgh Airport. Entrance fee to: Locharron Woolen Mills, Wallace Monument, Old Town Jail, Rob Roy Visitor Centre,

Glenlivet Distillery, Cawdor Castle, Culloden Battlefield, Skara Brae, Jarlshof, Shetland Textile Museumand Falconry display in Dalhousie Castle.

*Remark - The rest of the visits that are not mentioned above have been taken into account forthe itinerary but they are free of charge. That is why they are not mentioned in the entrance feesection.

Dinners: Prestonfield House Stables (Scottish Evening) and Dalhousie Castle (Dungeon Restaurant). *Remark - The Scottish Evening includes show, 3 course dinner and bottle of wine per person.The Dinner at the Dungeon Restaurant includes 3 course dinner only. Drinks are not included.

Porterage in the hotels based on 1 bag per person.
http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-2039-ibis-edinburgh-centre/index.shtmlhttp://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-2039-ibis-edinburgh-centre/index.shtmlhttp://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-2039-ibis-edinburgh-centre/index.shtmlhttp://www.georgeandabbotsford.co.uk/http://www.georgeandabbotsford.co.uk/http://www.georgeandabbotsford.co.uk/http://www.crerarhotels.com/ourhotels/deeside_inn/http://www.crerarhotels.com/ourhotels/deeside_inn/http://www.crerarhotels.com/ourhotels/deeside_inn/http://www.hieaberdeen.co.uk/http://www.hieaberdeen.co.uk/http://www.hieaberdeen.co.uk/http://www.ayrehotel.co.uk/http://www.ayrehotel.co.uk/http://www.ayrehotel.co.uk/http://www.dalhousiecastle.co.uk/http://www.dalhousiecastle.co.uk/http://www.dalhousiecastle.co.uk/http://www.dalhousiecastle.co.uk/http://www.ayrehotel.co.uk/http://www.hieaberdeen.co.uk/http://www.crerarhotels.com/ourhotels/deeside_inn/http://www.georgeandabbotsford.co.uk/http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-2039-ibis-edinburgh-centre/index.shtml


9/9

Prices do not include:

Lunches. Dinners in hotels (apart from the Dungeon Restaurant in Dalhousie Castle) Gratuities. Any other services not previously mentioned.

As a fiber artist, seasoned world traveler, and professional tour guide, Eleanor

Morgan is uniquely qualified to guide you on this fiber arts tour of the Scottish

Highlands and Islands.

Weaving through the Highlands and Islands of Scotland

Documents

Transcript of Weaving through the Highlands and Islands of Scotland