Meet with your group and tour guide in the lobby of your city centre hotel for a brief introduction to your companions and activities ahead! Enjoy a guided tour of Edinburgh Castle, resplendent over the Royal Mile and with magnificent views of the Old and New Towns of the capital city.
Staying on the Royal Mile, step into the Scottish Textile Experience. Here founder Kitty Bruce-Gardyne will greet you with a glass of something fizzy and introduce you to Scottish textile design and some of the locations you will be visiting along the way. Continue with a chance for some exclusive shopping and select your yarn (purchased for you by us!) for your Karie Westermann workshop. Overnight Radisson Blu Hotel, Royal Mile, Edinburgh - Dinner included.
Day 2: Karie Westermann Lace Knitting Class and Ginger Twist Studio
Take a short trip to the historic Quaker Meeting House on Victoria Street in Edinburgh, said to be the inspiration behind Diagon Alley in Harry Potter! Meet with experienced lace designer Karie Westermann where you will learn to de-mystify how lace works and design your own project in just a few hours! Together you will look at lace stitch patterns, before learning how to incorporate a lace stitch pattern into a design of your own. You will learn how to draw lace charts and how to calculate projects. Karie will guide you through your own design process whether you wish to design a scarf or a shawl and give you hands-on advice about designing repeats and motifs that really work.
After your class, enjoy lunch (included), we visit to the fabulous Ginger Twist Studio, before we travel to New Lanark Mill, a unique 18th century mill and UNESCO heritage site to check into your hotel and enjoy dinner. Overnight in New Lanark Mill Hotel - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.
Day 3: New Lanark World Heritage Site and the Cosmopolitan Port City of Glasgow
After breakfast explore New Lanark, learning more about its history. The mill was founded in 1786 and taken over in 1800 by Robert Owen, an influential social reformer. In Owen's time over 2,500 people lived and worked at New Lanark, many from the poorhouses of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Owen improved the lives of these workers by introducing previously unheard of social welfare programmes and a school for the children.
Today, visitors can see recreated millworkers’ homes, historic functioning machinery and the adjacent ‘Falls of Clyde’ waterfalls as well as the Annie McLeod Experience. Continue to the lively city of Glasgow where the remainder of your evening will be free to enjoy the many bistros, restaurants and gastro pubs that make Glasgow so special. Overnight in Apex City of Glasgow Hotel, Glasgow - Breakfast and Lunch included.
Day 4: Radical Weavers Workshop in Stirling and Glasgow Sightseeing
Awaken your inner artisan as you join our Radical Weavers instructors for a creative and intricate weaving workshop on the loom! You choose your yarns and colours and create a piece that is all you under their expert tuition.
Return to Glasgow for a bit of sightseeing and an optional visit to The Orry Mill Yarn Store. The evening is free for you to make the most of the many pubs, bistros and restaurants in Glasgow or simply relax in your hotel. Overnight Apex City of Glasgow Hotel, Glasgow - Breakfast and Lunch included.
Day 5: Waulking with Wool at Auchindrain & Loch Lomond
Today we make our way to Auchindrain along the shores of Loch Lomond, stopping along the way to admire the views and take some photographs of the stunning scenery. Continue to the beautiful village of Inveraray where will be some free time to explore the historic location, with its 18th Century Castle and Inveraray Jail Museum. Enjoy lunch (included) before you reach the Auchindrain Township which gives a taste of what life was once like in the Scottish highlands. Discover the byres, stables and fields to understand how groups of families would have once worked the common lands. At Auchindrain we will also meet the group locally known as ‘Sgioba Luaidh Inbhirchluaidh’ which translates to the ‘Inverclyde Waulking Group.
Waulking is a method of finishing newly woven tweed by soaking and thumping it steadily to shrink and soften it. The group sings Waulking Songs as they work! Continue to the coastal resort town of Oban and check into your hotel for the night. Overnight Oban Bay Hotel, Oban - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Included.
Day 6: Deborah Gray Moebius Cowl Knitting Class, Caledonian Wool Company and Loch Ness Centre
This morning we take part in a Moebius Cowl Knitting Class with Shetland Wool Week instructor and designer Deborah Gray. After lunch in picturesque Fort William, we explore the treasures of the Caledonian Wool Company. Find out the mysteries of Nessie at The Loch Ness Centre and maybe, just maybe you will spot her yourself!
Arrive at your Inverness Hotel in the heart of the Scottish Highlands for a relaxing couple of nights. Enjoy dinner in your hotel this evening. Overnight Best Western Palace Hotel, Inverness - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.
Day 7: Culloden Battlefield, Highlands Distillery and an afternoon in Inverness
This morning explore the iconic, emotive and atmospheric Culloden Battlefield, filming location for Outlander. Continue to a Highlands distillery for a sensory introduction to the entire process of whisky making and enjoy a wee dram of whisky tasting before you leave!
Return to Inverness for lunch (not included) and to explore the charming local stores! These include Leakey’s bookshop, located in a former Gaelic Church with an open fire to keep you toasty, the Scottish Kiltmaker visitor centre and Judith Glue knitwear. Return to your hotel for dinner and relaxation.
Overnight Best Western Palace Hotel, Inverness - Breakfast and Dinner included.
Depart from Inverness and enjoy a comfort stop at the prestigious House of Bruar, Scottish country clothing specialists, gift shop and food hall. Take a tour of the Scone Palace and Gardens, crowning place of the Kings of Scotland before continuing to Dundee.
Visit the top rated Verdant Works, a restored mill telling the history of Dundee’s famous textile industry before checking into your quayside spa hotel for dinner. Overnight Dundee - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 9: Gansey Knitting Workshop with Di Gilpin and St Andrews
Our day begins with a knitting workshop instructed by Di Gilpin on Gansey knitwear. Di starts her workshop with a brief presentation on the history of Gansey knitting in Scotland which is supported with samples of traditional pieces as well as some contemporary designs from the studio. Her workshop explores different gansey patterns in either blanket squares or a long sampler.
We then travel to St. Andrews in time for lunch in the style of Afternoon Tea before visiting the lovely fluffy Alpacas at Bowbridge Farm! Continue on to Edinburgh in time to refresh before your Taste of Scotland farewell dinner at Amber Restaurant - Overnight Edinburgh, Breakfast, Afternoon Tea and Dinner included.
Enjoy breakfast in your hotel before check out. Say goodbye to new friends and Scotland
and take your transfer to Edinburgh Airport and your return flight home.
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