THE KINGDOM OF FIFE

Farewell, Auld Reekie - we will cross the third bridge across the Firth of Forth (say that five times fast!) for the greener pastures of The Kingdom of Fife!  Every once in a while you come across a region that is just not content with being referred to as a county.  In the US, you have the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and in Scotland you have the Kingdom of Fife!  Fife is home to the ancient royal capital of Dunfermline, which is why it retains its Kingdom status - we don’t know what to say about Vermont… Anyhoo, the Kingdom of Fife is home to many quaint fishing villages, cozy yarn shops and the iconic Royal Burgh of St Andrews.  With visits to two local farm producers you will have the chance to meet some sheep and angora goats and squish some truly delectable yarn on the way.  A visit to Culross Palace will be sure to enchant you - it is a unique 16th century merchant's house which does not look much like a palace but has wonderful richly painted walls within.  Gansey knitting traditions will be front and center in our minds as we explore the charming coastal fishing villages.  We will learn all about them at The Scottish Fisheries Museum, as well as hear from Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell about their modern take on those traditions in their latest book. Our base in Fife has lovely spaces to gather for late afternoon knitting sessions in their homely lounge.  (Homely is a complement in the UK meaning a place feels like, well, home! Isn’t that better than our interpretation of the word?) 

PERTH, THE FAIR CITY

Heading North to the foothills of the Highlands we will spend two nights on the outskirts of Perth.  Home to the Scottish Yarn Festival, Perth is also known as The Fair City, and we couldn’t agree more. On our way there we will visit Mary Queen of Scots’ favorite residence, Falkland Palace, and enjoy lunch at a farm shop near the castle where she was imprisoned and from which she cleverly escaped!  We will then head directly to the festival for the afternoon and return in the morning on Wednesday.  Just before classes are announced next year, we will send you a detailed schedule of our day so that you can know which classes you can register for.  

THE HIGHLANDS

At last, with your yarn stash acquired and multiple projects laid in, we will head to the fabled Scottish Highlands!  Our base will be a wonderful country house hotel serving up amazing food and a quiet country retreat just north of Inverness. We will visit a distillery for a tour and a wee dram or two, immerse ourselves in the history of the area, and meet a few of the local fiber folk.  A mill tour of The Prickly Thistle is sure to astound you with their innovative rebel tartan, and Julie Rutter of Black Isle Yarns will set up a private meet & greet & trunk show for us so that you can hear her tale of creating innovative yarn blends and gorgeous natural dye colorways using wool from local sheep.  Our own Lindsay Roberts will lead a relaxing stitching workshop at our country house hotel since once there you really won’t want to leave!

THE GREAT GLEN

You will have crossed The River Ness already on your way North, but today we drive West, right through The Great Glen and along the banks of the infamous Loch Ness - keep your eyes peeled for you know who!  We will stop to gaze at the picturesque Urquhart Castle, a splendid point for Nessie spotting, but our ultimate destination today is Caledonian Wool in Fort William where we will have a knitting workshop with Jam MacKenzie. A little time to explore the delights of Fort William and then we’re off to our hotel for the night in yet another stunning location, Glen Coe.

BACK TO EDINBURGH

The road back to Edinburgh leads straight along the sometimes bleak and foreboding, but always vast and impressive Rannoch Moor. Once you reach the other side you will be welcomed into the Artisan Cafe & Deli for lunch and a talk by Louisa Harding with a chance to buy some of her truly exquisite cashmere yarn.  Once back in Edinburgh you’ll have time for a final dash to purchase any remaining souvenirs on your list, or just finish trying to pack everything in your bags before meeting for our farewell dinner.    

A FOND FAREWELL

We bid you farewell and wish you safe travels as you make your way home!

Lindsay Roberts, aka  “The Border Tart”, is a dyer, a stitcher, a maker and a lover of words. Inspired by color and pattern and passionate about Indian artisans and textiles, she values most highly all things made by hand. Lindsay uses both indigo and acid dyes to produce a full range of colors in her dye work. Her offerings are sometimes subtle, sometimes bold, but they seldom shout. She’s also a proponent of mindful stitching and hand work of all kinds. In her words, “Making with your own hands brings pleasure, calms the heart rate and imbues each piece with love.” Peruse her hand-dyed yarns and small edition stitching kits here. You’ll also find her images, thoughts and adventures on Instagram at @bordertart. We’re so pleased to collaborate with this wonderful Scottish artisan and teacher.