EDINBURGH

Welcome to Scotland! You’ll arrive in Edinburgh in the morning and make your own way to our favorite city home, Parliament House Hotel. Catch your breath, then meet with your RTTF Ambassadors before we visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the King’s Edinburgh home. Thereafter we’ll wander up the Royal Mile a way to get our bearings, and you can continue exploring or perhaps head straight to bed, ready for the next day’s adventures.

A SHORT HOP

We’re off on a jaunt to meet two dyers, with very different styles but equally covetable yarns, both located just a few miles outside the city boundaries. In the morning we'll drive along the coast to meet Solveigh to learn about her inspirations and visit her dye studio.  Later we'll head inland to a country estate to find Suzie surrounded by Shetland fleece, yarn and more dye pots!

In the evening we’ll spend time with Susan Anderson, the upbeat founder and editor of The Journal of Scottish Yarn, while enjoying tutored whisky tasting and food pairing!

FIFE

Farewell, Auld Reekie - today we cross over the third bridge across the Firth of Forth (say that five times fast!) for the greener pastures of The Kingdom of Fife. With visits to two local yarn producers today you will have the chance to meet some sheep and angora goats and squish some truly delectable yarn.  And a visit to Culross Palace - a unique 16th century National Trust property which does not look much like a palace but has wonderful richly painted walls within. You’ll have time to explore the quaint narrow streets of the charming town of Culross (an Outlander fan's treat). Then we’re off to our elegant Perthshire hotel on the banks of the River Tay - our home for the next four nights.

DUNDEE and PERTHSHIRE

We’ll head east to the city of Dundee which is famed for jute, jam and journalism. We’re in search of the jute, and museums and galleries by the waterfront. On Friday, in Perthshire, we’ll seek out Iron Age Scotland as well as contemporary whisky distilling, and take time to explore pretty Aberfeldy and Pitlochry.

SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

We’re off across hill and glen on a royal trail today, soaking up the grandeur of country, castle and some quintessential Scottish pursuits. Can’t possibly reveal all yet, but there will be bagpipes and kilts involved!

SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

The Highland Folk Museum is a must-do if you’re in the north. We’ll explore the open-air site, including its circa 1700s Highland village (filming site of the first season of Outlander) before heading on. There will be time in Inverness, and at the eerie Culloden battle site. Woolly delights include meeting Sabrina Ross of Heatherlea Black Cheviots and a pop-up shop by our very own Fiber Ambassador Helen. And we’ll be staying in a castle!

HOMEWARD BOUND

For those new friends that are heading home today, we wish you well and safe travels. 

You will fly out of Inverness Airport with a departure time no earlier than 10:30 am today. The tour coach will take you to the airport by approximately 9:00 am.  Earlier flight times can only be accommodated by arranging private transfers at your cost from Dornoch Castle Hotel.

OFF TO SKYE

After checking out of our Dornoch hotel we’ll wend our way south to Cawdor Castle and its elegant gardens for a gentle morning before driving west via moorland and loch towards Kyle of Lochalsh. Crossing a bridge over the Atlantic, we’ll reach the Isle of Skye and arrive in the village of Broadford in time for a stroll before dinner.

ISLE OF SKYE

Wake up to breakfast in Skye! Life has its own rhythms and ways here – a bit different from the mainland. We’ll get to know the place better by spending time at a local croft that specializes in raising rare breed sheep, creating bespoke traditional ganseys and keeping friendly Highland cows. We’ll drive the dramatic Trotternish Peninsula and meet with natural dyers in their tempting yarn shop. We’ll be squeezing in more woolly goods and other treats along the way. All this while treating a beautifully located Skye mansion as our home. 

PORTREE to INVERNESS

We’ll wave a slow goodbye to Skye today by way of a free morning in Portree. Explore independent shops, fit in a wee whisky sampling, snap up some souvenirs, enjoy a wander along the shore path - you can fit them all in! 

Then it’s onward to enjoy one last castle - the dramatic and much photographed Eilean Donan - before a delightful drive along Loch Ness and into the city. What will be your favorite memories of the tour to share over our farewell dinner?

HEADING HOME

We will make our way to the train station (just meters away) or to the airport (taxi takes approximately 20 minutes and costs about £30) after breakfast. Safe travels!

Lindsay Roberts, aka  “The Border Tart”, is a dyer, a stitcher, a maker and a lover of words. Inspired by color and pattern and passionate about Indian artisans and textiles, she values most highly all things made by hand. She’s also a proponent of mindful stitching. In her words, “Making with your own hands brings pleasure, calms the heart rate and imbues each piece with love.” Peruse her hand-dyed threads and small edition stitching kits here. You’ll also find her images, thoughts and adventures on Instagram at @bordertart. We’re so pleased to collaborate with this wonderful Scottish artisan and teacher. 

Helen has knitted for as long as she can remember, and relatively recently has taken to weaving on a rigid heddle loom. She has been dyeing yarn since 2008 from her home and workshop in Clachtoll, Scottish Highlands. Using acid dyes, the surrounding landscape offers her endless colour inspiration. She leans towards saturated shades, either in semi solid or deeply variegated colourways. You can see her yarns on her website (www.ripplescrafts.com), where she offers a range of yarn weights and bases, but if you’re ever passing by Clachtoll her workshop is also open to visitors. Originally from Southern Africa, Helen and her husband, Stevan, have made the Highlands their home, living entirely off grid and sourcing their energy needs from wind and solar power. The sense of peace and calm she finds in the landscape makes it impossible for her to imagine living anywhere else.