Join spinners and Fiber Ambassadors Sydney Roseweck and Jennifer Hendricks for Rowan Tree Travel's inaugural Spinning tour through the Lake District! This retreat-style tour focuses on getting to know the sheep breeds that pepper the scenic landscapes of the Lake District. Some key highlights include:

• A seven night exclusive use stay at the luxurious and historic Bank Ground Farm overlooking Lake Coniston

• An exclusively curated Lake District Breeds fiber box, including processed wool from four different local sheep breeds

• Three visits to local sheep farms that include hands-on encounters with the flock

• Two types of on-site spinning workshops

• Visits to local attractions and special fiber shopping experiences

Together we will treadle our way through the Lake District, meeting local artisans, shepherds, spinners, and makers. On this nine day tour, we'll convene in Manchester, an easy hub to bring everyone together, then we're off like a herd of Suffolks to the beautiful Lake District! We'll make home at the tranquil Bank Ground farm where we have exclusive use of the grounds, including walking paths, lakeshores, gardens, and plenty of common spaces for spinning! Between free time in the local villages, we will head to the heart of the country and meet with local farmers to hear directly from them what it's like to raise and care for the sheep in this region. There will be a number of shopping experiences, with shopfronts that are lush with local fiber and yarn.

Amongst the busy days exploring are laid-back days on the farm to spin to our heart's content. We'll have a spinning workshop led by local spinning instructor and expert Susan Denham-Smith, who will walk us through some of the fibers in our specially made Lake District Breeds fiber boxes, as well as a spinner's cloth decoration workshop that will result in an extra-special souvenir to bring home from our adventure!

This tour plies together hands-on experiences, education, community, and local fiber. Come join us and we'll spin this yarn together!

This trip needs at least 15 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 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 stay on a farm property with gravel or dirt paths between lodgings. Some rooms will be up one flight of stairs. There will be some stops that require walking on uneven terrain.

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 Manchester, England. Flight details will be provided upon registration and confirmed once the tour has been declared a go.

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

WELCOME TO ENGLAND!

Our time together starts now! You can arrive at anytime today for our brief stay in Manchester. Once you settle into your room for the night, you can connect with fellow participants and grab a bite to eat or find a cozy corner to spin off some of that jet lag.

Be sure to get a good night's rest because we'll be moving full steam ahead to the Lake District tomorrow morning!

Let the spinning begin!

Now that we've all arrived safe and sound, our spinner's journey truly begins. We will come together in the hotel lobby this morning for orientation and introductions, then we are off towards the Lake District, about a two hour drive from Manchester. We'll break up the drive with a stop to the stunning Leven's Hall just outside of the Lake District. While the centuries-old manor house is worth a visit on its own, the vast topiary gardens in their full summer splendor will really make your jaw drop.

Afterwards, we make our way into the heart of the Lake District to pay a call to Maria and Zoe at Dodgson Wood & Nibthwaite Farm. Maria and her partner, John, run this sixth generation farm and take care of all the animals therein, including a wide variety of Lake District sheep breeds! We'll have a walk around the farm and have a meet and greet with some of the animals, then we'll head inside to hear from Dr. Zoe Fletcher, who's research and work specializes in British sheep breeds. Don’t forget to stop in the store for bespoke tweeds, yarn, fiber, and soap made entirely in the Lake District!

From here it’s on to our home for the next seven nights – Bank Ground Farm, on the edge of Coniston Water. This beautiful working farm will be our exclusive use home for the next week. Explore some of the communal spaces, walking paths, gardens, or take a stroll along the lake edge before we all head in for our first (of many!) delicious home cooked dinners together.

FIBER SHOPPING GALORE

It's time to settle into our home in the Lake District! Bring your spinning tool of choice this morning to one of the many common areas for some group spinning. Then it's time to do some shopping! We just so happen to be in the Lake District during one of the largest fiber events in the region -- how kismet! We'll head to the fiber festival this morning where we can all stock up on local fiber, yarn, tools, and spend time getting to know some of the local makers. We'll have time for show-and-tell this evening while our credit cards cool down to see what everyone came home with!

With the shopping fever at a peak, we're off to the northern part of the Lake District to browse the multi-vendor fiber shop aptly named "The Wool Clip." They house a lovely assortment of locally made and sourced fiber items, from processed wools to woven goods, needle felted trinkets and wearable art. There is something for everyone in this space! From here we keep the good times rolling with a visit to Dancing Gate farm and meet nearly a dozen different Lake District sheep breeds! Together we'll spend quality time with the flock and hear from the farmers about each type of breed. And don't you worry, there will be time for some shopping here as well!

WORKSHOP AT BANKGROUND

Whew, it's been a busy few days, hasn't it? It's time for a day on site filled with spinning, sheep talk, and more spinning! Today we'll stay home at Bank Ground farm and have fiber friends new & old come pay us a visit. The day begins with an exciting half day workshop with local spinning expert Susan Denham-Smith from Wild Wool Workshop. Susan will lead us on a guided tour through some of the fibers in our Lake District Breeds sample box! She will walk us through different methods for spinning some of these breeds, and how to best use them to our advantage depending on what we're spinning for. We will start with some practical information, then it's time to take to our spinning tools and get to drafting! We'll have a break for lunch followed by more hands-on spinning time with Susan.

But the fun isn't over yet! Dr. Zoe Fletcher is coming back for a visit to give us a more in-depth look at the history and breeds in this region with a specially prepared lecture curated to our tour. Her wealth of knowledge on this topic will leave you feeling like a Lake District sheep expert!

SPINNING & BEATRIX POTTER

We are going to make the most of our last three days together with a balanced mix of exploring, down time for spinning, and adventures.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that no trip to the Lake District is complete without time spent with Beatrix Potter. Mandy Marshall, a local expert on the area, will come to tell us all about the indomitable Beatrix Potter and her determination to preserve the Herdwick sheep breed. Once we’re filled to the brim with inspiration, it’s time to visit Potter’s beloved workspace at Hilltop farm and later to meet the Herdwick sheep ourselves! We’ll have an unforgettable experience with the sheep among the fells that often includes plenty of sheep-y snuggles!

Then, vintage knitting aficionado Susan Crawford will take us on an exclusive tour of her family run studio and yarn production space. In between a delicious lunch and tea with her and the team, there will be plenty of time to shop her breed-specific, vintage inspired yarn! Seated between our outings will be another relaxed day at Bank Ground farm, with a spinner's cloth decoration course led by Sydney! We'll take a pause from drafting to adorn a special Lake District spinner's cloth, which will serve as a beautiful and useful memory of our time together when you're back to spinning at home.

On Friday morning, we will bid a fond farewell to our beloved Bank Ground farm. Those who have flights departing at 2:30 pm or later will be dropped off at the Manchester airport. All other participants who wish to stay on or take a train to their onward journey will be dropped off at Mollie's Hotel in Manchester.

For those who wish to book flights anytime on the following day can select the optional add-on for a single night's stay at Mollie's Hotel Manchester.

Sydney Roseweck

Sydney is a voracious knitter, designer, and knitwear historian. She has been knitting and studying fashion history for over fifteen years and recently turned her passions into a career at Squid's School of Vintage Knitting, an online school devoted to the education and love of historical knitwear. Her work in the knitting world is also supplemented by her academic background in film history, and she tries to combine the two as often as possible. In collaboration with Rowan Tree Travel, Sydney works to develop tours that have a historical or vintage bent, often with elaborately themed and niche activities! With her entire career spent working in the fiber industry, Sydney continues to thrill at meeting other knitters and sharing fiber experiences with them. You can find her at patreon.com/squidschool or over on instagram as @squidneyknits.

Jennifer Hendricks

Jennifer Hendricks was a college administrator for decades, focusing on access and integration for first-generation students, English language learners and study abroad explorers. She believes that knowledge equals power – and we should soak up as much as possible! Her passion for fiber and textile arts centers on investigating the similarities and differences within techniques and cultures, and the avenues for creative expression. She is rarely without a drop spindle, knitting project or embroidery hoop … and sometimes all three are stuffed into one bag simultaneously!