Welcome to England!

It won’t feel quite so “olde” when you land at Heathrow Airport and zip into the city via the Heathrow Express, but we still love calling it that! For touch of tradition, you can opt for a “black cab” and enjoy some local commentary as you drive into the city center. Once at our hotel, store your luggage until your room is ready, grab some food or a walk in nearby Hyde Park or head out to a much anticipated museum visit before our group meets up for the official start of the tour in the afternoon. We’ll gather for introductions and a relaxed, early dinner. Then you are free to get right to bed or gather for some knit ‘n’ natter, as feels best for you.

CORNWALL

After a great breakfast, we’ll gather for an overview of British sheep breeds – their history, development, differing wool types – and get our hands into some sample fluff, yarn and fabric. Next, we’re off to Paddington Station. It’s right around the corner and we’re walking over together for our train ride down to Penzance. We’ll be greeted there by our driver for the week and taken to our comfy inn at the seaside town of Mousehole (pronounced mow-zuhl). We’re in Cornwall! Relax, wander the tiny town’s winding streets or grab a chair outdoors in the garden for a pint and the evening’s knit session. We’re here at The Old Coastguard for the next three days. 

CORNWALL

Today we’ll start to explore Cornwall. The first and best place to do that is at nearby St. Michael’s Mount. Will we walk or have to take a boat to this sometime island? Depends on the tide that day! The Mount has beautiful gardens, a lovely chapel and the castle to explore, plus a wide, sandy beach and plenty of shops in the village of Marazion just across the causeway. It’s going to be a “do what we feel like” kind of day. For those with plenty of energy, there’s an option to attend the evening performance at the stunning Minack Theatre, carved from the hillside just down the coast from our hotel.

CORNWALL

Let’s get to know Cornwall today. We’re bringing our friend, local resident and tour guide Zoey Young, onboard our mini-coach for a day’s worth of exploring the landscape and learning the history of the area. You might find some of our stops familiar as they’ve been used as film locations in films and tv shows. (Poldark, anyone?) We’ll poke around in tidepools and villages like St. Ives, check out the vibes at a stone circle and head down some dauntingly steep roads to access tiny fishing villages. Cornwall at its best!

DEVON

We reluctantly depart from Cornwall, but not before a morning session with Caroline Bawn of Gorgeous Yarns. She’ll be talking with us about Cornish fishing ganseys. It’s always a delight to Caroline talk about the history, construction and contemporary revival of these garments. Of course, we also get to rummage through Caroline’s fantastic yarn offerings! Then we continue northward toward a truly stunning site: Tintagel Castle. It’s the legendary home of King Arthur and his court. Today it’s a National Trust site, protected and preserved for the public to explore. We end our day with a soft landing at our accommodations in Devon. A warning: our favorite caterers in all of England prepare meals for us whilst we’re in Devon. Oh my.

DEVON

Today we’re not going anywhere! Instead we’re staying right at lovely Pickwell Manor (our accommodation in Devon) and enjoying a wooly workshop with Carla Taylor from Mousehole Woolery. Get your stabbing arm ready. If you’ve never done three-dimensional needle felting, you’ll be amazed at what you will have made by the end of the day. An extended lunch break will allow us to enjoy the beautiful on-site gardens and views across the Devon hills to the sea beyond. Wait, not going anywhere??? Well, for those who would like to join in, we will offer a walk along the headlands with David Kennard of Borough Farm. David keeps sheep there on the fields that go right to Devon’s dramatic cliffs. It’s well worth leaving our cozy spot to enjoy a sunset walk with David and his working Border Collies.

DEVON

Devon provides our group with a unique opportunity to view the contemporary workings of the British wool world. Just across the street from each other are two representative enterprises: John Arbon Textiles and the southwest regional sorting center for the British Wool Marketing Board. We’ll tour both. There’s also a superb stash-enhancing opportunity here, as JAT produces some of the most beautifully dyed and blended yarns in the country. After, lunch at  a local bee farm and a kick-off-your-shoes visit to the area’s largest sandy beach (so you can recover from how much yarn you just purchased) round out our adventures for the day.

BATH

It’s always hard to leave Devon. The beauty and relaxing environment are hard to beat. But our first stop as we head north will keep you in that relaxed, appreciative mood: Hestercombe House & Gardens. British gardens are truly spectacular. Hestercombe keeps up that standard with its fifty acres and three centuries of garden design that include a Victorian shrubbery and terrace, spectacular Great Cascade, multiple ponds, restored water mill, formal gardens and Orangery. Peruse the onsite shop with local artisan-made goodies. Grab some lunch at the cafe. We’ll head out when we’ve had enough of all the blooming glory. An additional stop or two might get thrown in, depending on time and weather, but then we’ll arrive at historic Bath. It’s going to be a relaxed evening to settle in and have dinner together there but we just might zip over to the Thermae Spa for an evening’s immersion in the waters!

BATH

Today is your day to do as you like in the city of Bath. Our hotel is within easy walking distance to the Roman Baths, Jane Austin Ctr, The Circus, Assembly Rooms, Bath Abbey, amazing shopping, two super yarn stores and a host of other possibilities. We’ll provide you with a list of our favorite locations and activities. A little research ahead of time will give you an even greater range of ideas. Wander, immerse yourself, enjoy!

BATH

Our final full day in England… We’d better spend some more time with those British breeds! That means it’s time for a farm visit. There will be lambs for petting and shepherds for letting us know about what’s involved with contemporary sheep keeping. There might be a few more stash-enhancing opportunities. Kick back and enjoy the beautiful Cotswold landscape, honey-colored stone buildings and thatched roof cottages as we roam about the countryside for a final immersion in this beautiful area of the country.

HOMEWARD BOUND

After a leisurely breakfast, we’re loading up our mini-coach for the drive over to London’s Heathrow Airport. Safe travels, everyone! 

Suzie Briddsang is an avid knitter, spinner, and all-around fiber enthusiast plus writer, gardener, adventurer and appreciator of both cityscape and landscape.  When she realized she could combine her love of making things with her love for travel and new experiences, she found her happy place! Suzie lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She’s the author and illustrator of The Nervous New Owner’s Guide to Angora Rabbits. No longer a fiber animal owner, she loves nothing more than visiting fiber animals someone else owns -- preferably in another country. She writes about her travel experiences at www.studiobriddsang.com