A
chance to take your knitting to greater heights
amidst the awe-inspiring landscapes of the Lake
District. Writers from Coleridge to Beatrix Potter
have found inspiration in its tranquil waters and
steep fells, grazed by the rare Herdwick sheep.
After
lunch at historic Leighton Hall, settle in at Cragwood,
a traditional country house hotel overlooking majestic
Lake Windermere. Morning workshops from Jean and
John Allen, followed by visits to Grasmere, Wordsworth's
Dove Cottage and his garden at Rydal Mount and Blackwell
Arts & Crafts House and Garden. A cruise on
Coniston Water in Victorian steam yacht, Gondola,
to John Ruskin's Brantwood, will evoke memories
of a bygone age. An afternoon to stock up your stash
at Crookabeck Angora and Herdwick Farm at Patterdale.
Evenings to solve your problems at a knitters clinic,
get inspired by stimulating lectures or strut your
stuff at the show and share session.
En
route to Edinburgh, via Hadrian's Wall, visit Hawick,
a cashmere lover's mecca. In Scotland's capital
your base will be Channings - an intimate, stylish
hotel on a quiet cobbled street overlooking a garden
square. Here Erika Knight's workshop will encourage
you to experiment with yarn and texture.
Renowned
as the Athens of the North, Edinburgh is one of
the most cultured
cities in the world. With its autumnal mellow fruitfullness
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 zigzag steps
and secret corners.
Garden-lovers
will relish the Royal Botanic Gardens with its Victorian
Palm House, exotic collections and rare specimen
trees. Day trip to the rugged and historic university
city of St Andrews, (where golf was invented!) -
making a beeline for Di Gilpin's Yarn Shop (left),
followed by dinner at The Inn at Lathones, a seventeenth
century coaching inn - with our own traditional
Scots musicians Ewan Sutherland and Stewart Warrender!
Special
visits to the world-famous Dovecot Tapestry Studio
and the Edinburgh Tartan Weaving Mill. Lots of independent
time to explore the delights of Edinburgh - the
Grassmarket, Jenners in Princes Street, the brand
new Harvey Nicholls, the Castle, museums and galleries,
bookshops and boutiques, antique, craft and vintage
textile shops - or just to take your knitting to
a cafe and soak up the unique atmosphere of Auld
Reekie.
DAY
1 |
|
|
|
am |
Start
Manchester Airport
Lunch and tour at Leighton Hall |
pm |
Settle
into Cragwood Country Houe Hotel, Lake Windermere |
eve |
Welcome
reception |
|
Jean's
Lecture: Passion for Pullovers |
DAY
2 |
|
|
|
am |
Jean's
workshop: Short-row knitting |
pm |
Independent
sightseeing
OR Head Gardeners' tour of Cragwood Gardens
|
eve |
Show
& Share |
DAY
3 |
|
|
|
am |
Visit
Grasmere and Wordsworth's Dove Cottage and garden
at Rydal Mount |
pm |
Visit Crookabeck Angora & Herdwick Farmshop,
Patterdale |
eve |
John
Allen's lecture: Knitting as Never Before |
DAY
4 |
|
|
|
am |
John's
workshop: New Ways with Fairisle |
pm |
Blackwell
Arts & Crafts House and Gardens |
eve |
Jean's
lecture: Colour in the Garden |
DAY
5 |
|
|
|
am |
Jean's
knitting workshop:
More Colour Will Do The Trick |
pm |
Cruise
on Lake Coniston in Steam Yacht Gondola
to John Ruskin's Brantwood |
eve |
Dinner
at Hawkshead |
DAY
6 |
|
|
|
am |
Travel
from Cragwood to Edinburgh via Hawick, the cashmere-lovers'
mecca |
eve |
Settle
in Channings Hotel |
DAY
7 |
|
|
|
am |
Tour
of Edinburgh |
pm |
Independent
sightseeing and shopping |
eve |
Erika
Knight's lecture: Breaking the Rules |
DAY
8 |
|
|
|
am |
Erika's
workshop: Two Sticks and a Ball of String |
pm |
Royal
Botanic Gardens Tour |
DAY
9 |
|
|
|
am |
Day
trip to St. Andrews via Falkland Palace. Di
Gilpin's knitwear and yarn shop |
|
Di's
lecture: World Textiles in Knitting |
eve |
Dinner
at Lathones with Scots music from Stewart Warrender
& Euan Sutherland |
DAY
10 |
|
|
|
am |
Visit
Dovecot Tapestry Studios & Edinburgh Tartan
Weaving Mill |
pm |
Independent
sightseeing and shopping |
eve |
Farewell
dinner in Edinburgh restaurant |
DAY
11
|
am |
Coach
back to Glasgow Airport |
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.
10% discount for non-knitters not wishing to participate
in the knitting programme.
Price
US
$3250/£1970 sterling(single
supplement US $495/£300 sterling)
5%
discount on these prices if you book 150 days or
more before departure. Price includes all
accommodation, breakfasts, nine dinners and two
lunches, all travel within the UK, all workshops
and lectures, admissions to gardens and museums,
specialist garden guides and everything on the published
itinerary. Almost the only thing that is not included
is your flights to and from the UK and travel insurance.
Click
here
to reserve a place,
to get more information
email jmtours@dircon.co.uk
or phone/fax+44
(0) 1904 646282
|