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 Renowned
as the Athens of the North, Edinburgh is one of the most
cultured cities in the world. With its autumnal mellow fruitfulness
and hazy twilights it is bound to cast its spell over you.
Explore the elegant streets and squares of the classical
Georgian New Town and the winding serendipity of the rugged
Old Town with zig-zag steps and secret corners. Enjoy the
cashmeres, tartans and whiskies of the bustling Royal Mile
or the cosmopolitan shopping temptations of Princes Street.
 Discover
world-class galleries and museums, the Botanic Gardens (some
say the finest in Britain), and a wealth of richly historic
buildings like The Castle or Holyrood Palace. Research your
family tartan in a weaving mill. Browse around boutiques
and craft shops or just take your knitting to a cafe and
soak up the unique atmosphere of Auld Reekie.
Saturday Jean
and her partner, Philip, will welcome
you at Glasgow International Airport, then on to the Burrell
Collection - a stunning museum in beautiful parkland
on the outskirts of Glasgow, with renowned medieval embroideries,
tapestries and other wonderful art treasures (Scotland's
V & A). Lunch in
Pollok  House,
a lovely 18th century mansion with 'downstairs' a labyrinth
of well-preserved servants' quarters. Then
on to Edinburgh to arrive at Channings.
Situated on a quiet cobbled street overlooking a garden
square, close to the city centre, it exudes a cosy club-like
atmosphere - peaceful fire-lit lounges, distinctive French
cooking and individually-designed bedrooms.
Time to settle in before the Welcome Reception and Jean's
opening lecture The Joy of Knitting.
Sunday
In the morning Alice Starmore's workshop Stranded
Colour Knitting (an initiation into the magic
and mystery of cutting a steek and other traditional techniques).
After lunch visit to the Royal
Botanic Gardens with its Victorian Palm House,
exotic collections and rare specimen plants and trees. In
the evening Alice will give her illustrated lecture
My Sources of Inspiration before dinner.
Monday
First
a visit to the Edinburgh Tartan
Weaving Mill, where you can research (and possibly
buy) your family tartan. Then explore the Royal Mile, Grass
Market and the Old Town. After lunch off to St
Andrews,
a
city of fine shops, rugged architecture and splendid beaches
- the
mecca for golfers and a
university city since the 1500s
(now, of course, attended by Prince William).  We'll
make a beeline for Di Gilpin's
Knitwear & Yarn Shop
with its range of beautiful
sweaters, art-to-wear and yarns including Rowan, Jaeger,
Colinette, Kilcarra, Jamieson and handspun cashmere. We'll
dine at Scotland's Larder
- a very special restaurant in a converted farmsteading,
the cuisine using only the very best of Scottish produce
- definitely a not-to-be-missed treat. There'll be a ceilidh
with traditional fiddle music too!
Tuesday
Start
the morning with Jean's workshop Couture
Knitting. In
the afternoon sightseeing and shopping perhaps in Princes
Street, with Jenners, of course, or the elegant boutiques
and galleries of the New Town. After dinner at Channings,
time for you to get a little of the limelight with Show
& Share.
Wednesday
Leaving
Edinburgh in the morning en route to York, we call at
Hawick in the heart of the cashmere country,
where we visit a mill shop and a weavers specialising in
sporting tweeds. Lunch will
be in England in one
of several atmospheric pubs
at Appleby-in-Westmorland,
 a
traditional market town famous for its annual Horse Fair,
the most important gathering for gypsies in Britain. Then
on into the picturesque Yorkshire Dales to the Wensleydale
Longwool Sheepshop, where
we'll enjoy famous Yorkshire hospitality with a cuppa in
their farmhouse kitchen. Ruth and Ann produce their own
brand of lustrous fine yarn in gentle colours from these
eccentric-looking sheep. In York
(of
which George VI famously proclaimed "the history of York
is the history of England") in
the evening to settle into your room at The
Grange Hotel,
your base for the remainder of
the tour.
Thursday
A short walk from The Grange
through Bootham Bar, one of the gates into the medieval
city walls, will take you past the Minster to
Bishops Chamber, in a 15th century
half-timbered building once used by the Minster's priests.
Here Jean will hold her workshop
Peplums & Pleats,
and there'll be a chance for you to find a bargain in Jean's
sale of samples.A free afternoon for sight-seeing, shopping
and perhaps Evensong
at the Minster. Before dinner at The Grange Jean
will give her slide lecture Colour
in the Garden.
Friday
A day at
Sutton Park with
Debbie Abrahams and her workshop A
Perfect Finish. Sutton
Park is a 17th century Adam-designed mansion where we will
be given a warm welcome as always by Lady Sheffield and
her staff (the
poppy below is a watercolour painted by MaryEllen Podgorski
on our last tour). Lunch will
be in the Orangery and followed by tours
of the house and gardens. Back
in York a free evening to explore the snickelways, take
a ghost tour or riverboat cruise, or just have dinner at
The Grange or in one of York's
many
excellent restaurants.
 Saturday
A morning visit to Castle
Howard - a magnificent palace built from
1670 by Hawksmoor and Vanbrugh, opulently furnished and
decorated, with one thousand acres of gardens, lakes, follies,
fountains and woodlands. Lin Hawthorne will give a special
tour of the gardens. As well
as being a leading horticultural writer, Lin has lived on
the Castle Howard estate for many years and is an expert
on its plants, trees and history. Back in York for the afternoon
with enough time to fit in some last minute shopping, perhaps
tea in Betty's and a
final opportunity to attend Evensong at the Minster,
before we all meet at Cafe Rouge in the city for
our Farewell Dinner.
Sunday
After
an early breakfast, depart by coach for Manchester Airport
in time to pick up mid-morning flights back home. Unless,
of course, as many people do, you have decided to extend
your stay and see more of Britain.
Partners'
Programmes
We
very much welcome non-knitters. There is a wealth of activities
and attractions for people not wishing to attend the knitting
sessions including: galleries and museums; hiking and biking;
golf; water sports; ornithology; horse-riding; slate and
lead-mining archaeology; narrow-gauge and steam railways;
alternative technology; and, of course, many other wonderful
gardens and historic houses. With notice we will organise
alternative activities or visits whenever possible.
The
price is US$2830 (single suppl US$333)
5%
discount on these prices if you book 150 days or more before
departure. Price
includes all accommodation, breakfasts, dinners and some
lunches, all travel within the UK, all workshops and lectures,
admissions to gardens and museums, specialist garden guides
and everything on the published itinerary (and usually more).
Almost the only thing that is not included is your flights
to and from the UK and travel insurance. Further details
and booking conditions are in the brochure.
To
reserve a place, get a brochure or more information
email jmtours@dircon.co.uk
or phone/fax +44 (0) 1904 646282
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'Extremely
well-organized and planned... Jean and Philip are incredible
hosts. I would happily sign on for a tour again' (Michele)
