Pack your project bag and polish your sleuthing skills — something woolly this way comes! It's time to follow the thread on a devilishly delightful knitting adventure through the English countryside. Our Merry Band of Travelers will roam the hills and cozy corners of Devon and Cornwall, where yarns aren’t the only things spun. Stay in storybook settings, wander moody gardens, tour castle ruins perched on cliffs, and visit woolly wonders from Blacker Yarns to Wool on the Exe. Each day brings new clues and scenic delights, with a mystery unspooling stitch by stitch. Expect High Tea, heritage sheep, seaside walks, and perhaps… a touch of treachery. The game is afoot—cast on carefully!

Both departures follow the same mystery and core itinerary, but each has been thoughtfully designed with a different style of traveler in mind. Our Cozy departure offers a gentler, slower-paced experience with easier terrain, while our Rambling departure includes a more active optional adventure for those who believe the best clues are found just over the next hill. Whichever you choose, you'll also have the option to settle in at the castle, knit a few rows, and contemplate the evidence.

You are currently viewing the Cozy tour, you can find information regarding the Rambling adventure here.

This trip needs at least 10 participants in order to proceed (i.e. the trip is "guaranteed"). We strongly advise you to wait to purchase your flights until the trip is guaranteed by us to go forward. Unless otherwise stated, our regular Terms and Conditions apply to this trip and for any cancellations.

Please Note

Rowan Tree Travel & Fibercraft reserves the right to alter any part of this itinerary in order to address weather conditions, unforeseen circumstances, or to improve the participant experience.

While our Tour Activity Level describes what to expect on a tour, our Mobility Comfort Level is personal to each traveler.

We would describe this trip as a Retreat with a mobility comfort level of 2️⃣+.

We will be wandering through villages, gardens, and historic homes. Ground floor rooms are not available in all locations and accommodations do not have elevators.

Rowan Tree Travel highly recommends purchasing travel insurance. You may purchase through our preferred partner Arch RoamRight here or through your own provider.  

*Arch RoamRight is an affiliate of RTTF and we will receive a small commission for policies bought through the provided link.

In order to gather easily for the tour, we provide an arrival and departure "window" at a major transportation hub - typically an international airport at your destination country. Flights scheduled outside the provided windows may result in additional transportation costs and/or missed tour activities. For this reason, we greatly appreciate your cooperation in booking travel that accommodates our specifications. 

This tour will start and end in Exeter, UK.  We recommend flying into London and taking Heathrow Express to Paddington Station and from there transfering trains to Exeter St David's. Spending a night in London near Paddington will make this easiest for you, but it could be done the same day with an early morning arrival in London. If staying near Paddington, we recommend The Roseate Hotel.  More details will follow two months prior to the trip so that you can book your train journey.

If you prefer to purchase a round trip group bus transfer between Heathrow Airport and City Gate Hotel in Exeter, there is an Optional Add On available below.

Please do not purchase airfare until the tour is guaranteed by RTTF to go forward.

INNOCENT...FOR NOW

The game begins as you arrive in Exeter, where the fog hangs heavy with secrets and the whisper of a nefarious plot. Your first challenge is to make your way by train from London to Exeter, and settle in at our charming hotel where everything feels just right. The day is free for rest or optional local exploration. We convene in the late afternoon for High Tea at the hotel. Here, you'll receive your Yarn Kit, carefully assembled to prepare you for the days ahead. The mystery begins tomorrow — but tonight, enjoy the calm before the clues. 

TRACKS, FERRIES & FORESHADOWING

We start our day with a woolly wander through a local yarn shop before climbing aboard our private coach to journey through Devon’s winding lanes. Our first destination: Greenway House, Agatha Christie’s iconic summer residence. The house may be stately, but a sense of looming intrigue hangs in the air.

As dusk approaches, we arrive at our broodingly beautiful Castle in Cornwall; home for the next few days. Storm clouds gather and our knitting mystery deepens as we convene over our welcome dinner. The mystery is unveiled, setting the stage for the twists and turns ahead. You’ll receive your first clue and perhaps, your first suspect. With each stitch of your knitting, you’ll be drawn further into a web of secrets. Dinner is served ... but will you be able to finish your meal without revealing something sinister?

SPINNING ALIBIS & TANGLED LEGENDS

Our morning visit to Blacker Yarns reveals the birthplace of your mystery knitalong kits — lovingly spun, possibly cursed. After our careful examination of the wool mill, we venture to Buckland Abbey—part monastery, part Elizabethan manor, and former home to Sir Francis Drake, explorer, national hero and state-sponsored pirate.As the sun sets, dinner is served back at our Castle retreat. No one is safe. Watch the quiet ones with sharp needles...

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE ...

Today we invite you to explore the Pentillie Castle grounds and gardens, take a breath, catch up on your project, and contemplate clues.

We'll have an adventure up our sleeves if you're up for more ... a local farm raising heritage breed sheep, a visit to the former home of Sir Francis Drake - Buckland Abbey, the invariably intriguing stalls at Tavistock Pannier Market ... Local wares? Or clues in disguise? You decide.

Tonight, over a suspiciously hearty supper, the plot thickens. Someone drops a stitch … or a secret.

GARDENS, SECRETS & THE FINAL STITCH

We head out to The Lost Gardens of Heligan, where the once-abandoned gardens have now been restored to their former glory. Yet, beneath the vibrant flowers and winding paths, there may be something more sinister hiding. We return via the smugglers’ village of Polperro, its crooked lanes whispering tales of treachery. Back at our Castle home, the table is set for our last dinner there. Identities will be revealed. Allegiances shattered. Will you solve the case? Or will someone get away with murder?  

CASTLES & CATHEDRALS

We flee the scene — discretely of course — taking our coach back to Exeter, stopping only for wool and bathrooms (and perhaps a last scone—or skein?). Once ensconced in our cozy landing pad, we'll convene for a final dinner to celebrate our investigative effort and discuss our conclusions.

Our time together concludes. But for those who’ve survived the suspense, the stitches, and the scones — well done. You may depart via Exeter St. David's Train Station with your wits intact … and your knitting complete.

Zephan Whittle, Fiber Ambassador

Zephan grew up learning many fiber skills, courtesy of his Waldorf School education. He has experience with knitting, crocheting, sewing, weaving, felting, accompanied by a variety of non-fiber crafting techniques. After putting many of these skills in storage, he is unearthing them as a part of a creative revival! When not traveling with us, Zephan spends his time with his partner and cat in NYC, hiking through upstate New York, and playing as many sports and games as time allows.

Heather Radl, Founder & Chief Knitting Officer

Heather loves designing and leading knitting and fiber tours. She’s fascinated with local traditions, unique yarns, and the modern twist added to both by current designers. Her ever-widening exposure to both has led to a long queue of patterns and a dramatic accumulation of stash! She’s also been trying her hand at new wooly endeavors like felting and spinning. When not knitting, traveling or planning your next trip, Heather tends her small flock of chickens and ducks, volunteers in her local thrift shop, and spends time with her diva dog, her family, and friends in Dunbarton, NH.

🗡️ "Murder She Knits,” a mystery themed knitting trip, was so well thought out and clever and made for great group dynamics and lots of laughter. We enjoyed a variety of “field trips” to historical sites, beautiful gardens and stunning coastal landscapes as well as yarn producers and independent shops. Our accommodations were excellent and delicious food was abundant. Ending the trip in London’s WestEnd was just perfect. This was my fourth RTT trip and will certainly not be my last!" -Annie S.

🧶 "RRT found the cultural and local treasures of Cornwall that I could have never found with my own research. They clearly scouted the trip and know their audience. While I'm not really into murder mysteries, they made it so much fun, I really got into it.  Go even if you're not a mystery buff." -Darcy P

🧳"This is the first international knitting tour I’ve ever taken, and I Didn’t know what to expect. It Was amazing! Not only did we visit many local yarn shops, but we also explored gardens, cultural and historic places, markets, Seaside towns, and the accommodations were top notch! Traveling was easy and the fiber ambassadors were knowledgeable and helpful and other people on the tour were a delight! On day three of this tour, I went to their website to see if they had any availability for future tours! I am ready to go, and next time I will bring an extra suitcase for all the yarn that I will buy!" -Mary Lee S