Join us in the North Highlands of Scotland with a jaunt over to Orkney for our latest edition of our Wool & Whisky Series.
We will meet up in Inverness for a flight to Orkney, spend a relaxing 4 days visiting the local fiber folks from Mainland Orkney and perhaps, if the weather is with us, take a ferry out to the island of Westray. We will learn about the varied history and prehistory of the island from the mysterious standing stones and the iconic neolithic dwellings of Skara Brae to the magnificent Viking Era St Magnus Cathedral to the touching WWII Italian Chapel built by prisoners of war.
Back in the air again, we will nip back to Inverness before embarking on a circuit along a portion of the epic North Coast 500 driving route. In the Highlands we will visit our own Helen Lockhart’s off-the-grid home and dye studio, take a natural dyeing class, explore Smoo Cave, and taste amazing chocolate for starters! Then there will be visits to one homey and one opulent castle, and to contrast further, we will learn about the extreme dichotomy between the landlord’s lifestyle and that of their tenants. Ah yes – don’t forget the Whisky! A visit to a distillery and a tasting or two along the way for good measure – Slainte!
Highlights
- Welcome Drink and Orientation
- Skara Brae, distillery tour, and WWII history
- Off the grid dye studio visit and foraging walks
- Castles, sheep and lots of scenery
Inclusions & Extras
Inclusions
- Accommodations | All accommodations in Scotland during the trip
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Breakfast | Breakfast is included every day
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Workshops | Workshop Fees & Supplies
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Activities | All entrance fees and activity fees
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Meals (partial) | An average of two meals per day. Prepare to purchase either dinner or lunch based on the day’s activities
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Transportation | Private group transportation in a mini-coach
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Domestic Airfare | Airfare between Inverness & Orkney
Exclusions
Day 1 | Inverness
Saturday, September 14
Welcome to Scotland!
Arrive whenever you like on the 14th and explore the lovely shops or wander along The River. We will meet at 4:30 pm for a welcome drink and an orientation meeting before heading out to dinner together.
Days 2-5 | Orkney Islands
Sunday, September 15 – Wednesday, September 18
A relaxing morning before we depart at 10:00 am for Inverness Airport where we embark on our flight to Orkney! Over the following 4 days we will explore Orkney from our base in the lovely little city of Kirkwall. We will hear about the unique sheep of North Ronaldsay, meet the ancient breed of Boreray Sheep and talk with woollen textile makers on the Isle of Westray.
Amidst these woolly delights we will visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Skara Brae, have a professional guide explain the mysteries of The Standing Stones of Stennes and The Ring of Brodgar, and a textile tour St Magnus Cathedral. We will visit one of the best distilleries in the world (in our humble opinion) and learn about the key role that Orkney played in World War II. And last but not least, we will hear all about the legends of Orkney at an evening storytelling session by the peat fire.
Days 6 & 7 | Western Scottish Highlands
Thursday, September 19 & Friday, September 20
Alas, we bid Orkney farewell and fly back to Inverness to start our North Highlands circuit. Over the next two days you will encounter some of the most stunning scenery of the trip as we journey north from Inverness, along lochs and glens to the lovely village of Lochinver.
Our main activity will be a visit out to the remote and extremely picturesque area of Clachtoll Bay to visit our own Helen Lockhart’s off the grid dye studio. Her husband Stevan will be on hand to guide us around the area on walks to a few local ruins with occupations dating from the Iron Age up through the early 19th century. We’ll also take a walk down to the beautiful white sand Clachtoll Beach.
Days 8 & 9 | North Scottish Highlands
Saturday, September 21 & Sunday, September 22
Our journey up the West Coast will continue through more dramatic scenery until we reach the North Coast of Scotland at Durness. Here we will pause our journey to take an optional descent down to Smoo Cave or decide to skip the stairs and head for some light shopping and a scrumptious cup of steaming hot chocolate. (Those who venture down the 107 stairs and back up again are guaranteed a crack at the chocolate too!)
Then it’s on to the village of Tongue where we will spend the next two nights. Our second day there will be spent at a very charming and cozy community center with Laurence and Clive of Gong Crafts. They will take us on a foraging walk and teach us natural dyeing techniques with the local flora.
Days 10 & 11 | Caithness
Monday, September 23 & Tuesday, September 24
There’s a lot of ground to cover on the first of these days, but lots of interesting sights along the way as well! First stop will be The Castle and Gardens of Mey – former residence of The Queen Mother (as in Queen Elizabeth’s mother) and the homelier castle of the two we are visiting. (Homely in the UK means just as it should – it is a place which feels like a home!) From there we will make our way south to visit a bleak place which epitomizes the dark side of Highland history – The Clearances.
Badbea is a location at the edge of nowhere where tenant crofters were forced to relocate to when our favorite woolly animals were deemed to be more productive on the estates than they were. The next day will be much more sedate as we travel a short distance to see the opulent castle of their landlords which looks like it comes straight out of a fairytale! Time on our last day to pack and explore the town before our farewell dinner and whisky tasting!
Day 12 | Fond Farewell
Wednesday, September 25
At 9:00 am we will depart for Inverness with drop offs at Inverness Station and Airport. We bid you farewell and wish you safe travels as you make your way home!
Hotels
All hotels and accommodations included in your trip are carefully selected to meet a 4-star standard or higher. While we occasionally book 3-star hotels or B&B properties, they must meet our high standards of quality and comfort. To ensure consistency, we strive to have a team member visit each property regularly or conduct a thorough site inspection.
Flights
Round trip flights to the tours destination are not included, but we are happy to provide you with a flight quote for your trip along with travel protection for the duration.
While booking flights may seem simple, hidden fees and service classes that exclude seats, meals, or bags are common. Since 1985, our expertise and exclusive contracts allow us to secure better routes and often better prices than what’s available online.
Other Information
We would be happy to help create a custom itinerary for you before or after your time in Scotland, if you’d like to extend your trip.
