# Travelling to Scotland in April/May



## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

Hi KP group!

My husband and I will travel to Scotland at the beginning of May and besides a distillery and a garden, do you know of any "knitty" things I could do/see? groups, spinning, dyeing...any kind of stuff. Or just sitting and knitting with a group in a pub would please me fine.

I think we're going to Edinburgh and a small town nearby ..near the water (he fly fishes also). It's a short trip..7 days..but perfect for me...MS issues and possibly some trying mobility issues.

thank you!
Christine


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## TheWorldIsALie (Jun 12, 2014)

If you have not booked a hotel yet I would try to book a room at the Ibis hotel at Hunters Square. Very good hotel and if you book 15 days in advance you get 15% off. Close to city centre and I would suggest google "what's on in Edinburgh and select dates, distance etc.


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## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

TheWorldIsALie said:


> If you have not booked a hotel yet I would try to book a room at the Ibis hotel at Hunters Square. Very good hotel and if you book 15 days in advance you get 15% off. Close to city centre and I would suggest google "what's on in Edinburgh and select dates, distance etc.


Thank you for the hotel tip! and I forgot I can do that now..."what's happening in .......city" with the internet!!


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## marg 123 (Oct 17, 2012)

Enjoy your trip. New Lanark is a nice place to visit. I don't know how to show link, but google New Lanark I am sure you will find it.


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## Marge St Pete (Jul 21, 2011)

I stayed at the GIL_DIN B&B on Spencer Street. 10 minutes by bus to Princes Street. Bus stop is right at the corner. Price was inexpensive. food was great and the owners are very accomdating.


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

marg 123 said:


> Enjoy your trip. New Lanark is a nice place to visit. I don't know how to show link, but google New Lanark I am sure you will find it.


Yes, definitely an interesting place to visit if you have time. I was fascinated that this mill owner built nice housing for his employees and a free school for their children. This in contrast to the lives of poor depicted in writers such as Dickens.

That time of year, the hills will be alive with....lambs!


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## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

marg 123 said:


> Enjoy your trip. New Lanark is a nice place to visit. I don't know how to show link, but google New Lanark I am sure you will find it.


This would be a great place to visit!!! but I'm pretty sure we're landing in Edinburgh and the mill would be too far.

haha I'm a bit older now and mostly get into "squatting" in one place and get to know it. Thank you!


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## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

Marge St Pete said:


> I stayed at the GIL_DIN B&B on Spencer Street. 10 minutes by bus to Princes Street. Bus stop is right at the corner. Price was inexpensive. food was great and the owners are very accomdating.


I absolutely LOVE B&B's!!! I will check this out and thank you for the tip/recommendation...good to know!


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## Lorilynn (Oct 17, 2014)

Wish I were going too. It's on my bucket list to visit Grantown-on-Spey where my family is from. Have a great trip. Hope the weather cooperates.


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

How good are you at walking? Or rather climbing stairs? There are all sorts of neat little narrow stairs that connect one level of Edinburgh to another.

Interesting things to do within walking distance of the Royal Museum are the National Museum of Scotland, the Greyfriars' Bobby pub and the graveyard where the dog faithfully visited his master's grave. (Rent the Disney film if you are interested - I know Netflix has it.), Edinburgh Castle, and Holyrood. 

We didn't do much shopping in Edinburgh, so we have no recommendations for you. If you enjoy talking to strangers, sit on a public corner and knit - who knows who may stop by to say hello.


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## SFCMommy (Dec 14, 2011)

My cousin and I did a Scottish tour in 2012. It was wonderful! We planned our trip in August to see the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. Awesome! We also ate at the Greyfriars' Bobby pub, (yummy!) visited Bobby's grave, and took a selfie with his statue. Holyrood is a great place to visit! We were fortunate that the heather was late to bloom, so we saw it everywhere!! Finding yarn, however, was difficult. There's woolen things all over to buy, but where is the Scottish yarn? One place told me the Scottish Wool Board buys up most of the wool and ships it to China. (Really?) I was also told the Scottish don't use the black wool. (Really?) Anyone have more information to verify or deny this? I DID manage to find one small yarn shop on the street at the base of the cliff where the Edinburgh Castle is. It was run by a Canadian gal. After coming home, I read on KP that yarn can be found in a large department store on the "Royal Mile,"...that's the street beginning right at the Edinburgh Castle gate and going straight down the hill for a mile, ending near Holyrood.


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

Medieval Reenactor said:


> Interesting things to do within walking distance of the Royal Museum


I meant Royal Mile. Oops

In April, "The Hills are Alive With the Sound of.... Lambs"


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## Lisa Wells (Sep 12, 2014)

I met a lady in Tulsa, at the World Wide Knitting Day @ Guthrie Green park in summer of 2014 , Denise, who went to the Shetland Islands (famous for the ancient art of knitting the heirloom Shetland lace garments). She has this website and talks about, with pics!!!

http://lostcityknits.com/2014/05/26/shetland-part-one-arrival-and-quest-for-unst-lace/

http://lostcityknits.com/2014/05/27/shetland-jamieson-and-smith/

http://lostcityknits.com/2014/05/30/shetland-part-three-at-the-knitting-guild-meeting/

http://lostcityknits.com/2014/05/30/shetland-part-four-not-at-all-knitting-related/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g186571-Shetland_Islands_Scotland-Vacations.html


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

Thank you for the links, especially that cobwebby, lovely Shetland lace. Wow!

On the Part 3 link, women are shown using 3 knitting needles. How is this done? Anyone know of any videos of someone using this technique?


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## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

Lorilynn said:


> Wish I were going too. It's on my bucket list to visit Grantown-on-Spey where my family is from. Have a great trip. Hope the weather cooperates.


sorry for late note..been away; ME TOO ...hope the weather is good. But I've been in Ireland at the beginning of April and it was cold/nice..so May should be gorgeous!

It was on my bucket list too! finally kids are done with college and we can travel to $$ places!


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## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

Medieval Reenactor said:


> How good are you at walking? Or rather climbing stairs? There are all sorts of neat little narrow stairs that connect one level of Edinburgh to another.
> 
> Interesting things to do within walking distance of the Royal Museum are the National Museum of Scotland, the Greyfriars' Bobby pub and the graveyard where the dog faithfully visited his master's grave. (Rent the Disney film if you are interested - I know Netflix has it.), Edinburgh Castle, and Holyrood.
> 
> We didn't do much shopping in Edinburgh, so we have no recommendations for you. If you enjoy talking to strangers, sit on a public corner and knit - who knows who may stop by to say hello.


Medieval Reenactor! these are ALL the things I love to do! the walking/steps we'll have to see..MS...but I'm hopeful and will workout before leaving so maybe will be stronger!??

AND I love sitting and knitting and talking....the pub! haha

I'm not a shopper either. Although DH has us definitely bringing home the 4 bottles of Scotch, a lover of single malts.

Thank you so much for the info!


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## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

Medieval Reenactor said:


> I meant Royal Mile. Oops
> 
> In April, "The Hills are Alive With the Sound of.... Lambs"


hahahaaha....and the smell???


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## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

SFCMommy said:


> My cousin and I did a Scottish tour in 2012. It was wonderful! We planned our trip in August to see the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. Awesome! We also ate at the Greyfriars' Bobby pub, (yummy!) visited Bobby's grave, and took a selfie with his statue. Holyrood is a great place to visit! We were fortunate that the heather was late to bloom, so we saw it everywhere!! Finding yarn, however, was difficult. There's woolen things all over to buy, but where is the Scottish yarn? One place told me the Scottish Wool Board buys up most of the wool and ships it to China. (Really?) I was also told the Scottish don't use the black wool. (Really?) Anyone have more information to verify or deny this? I DID manage to find one small yarn shop on the street at the base of the cliff where the Edinburgh Castle is. It was run by a Canadian gal. After coming home, I read on KP that yarn can be found in a large department store on the "Royal Mile,"...that's the street beginning right at the Edinburgh Castle gate and going straight down the hill for a mile, ending near Holyrood.


This sounds GRAND, SFCMommy!!! perfect to do's.

Wow...we have a wonderful list of things to do. I didn't think you could find ANY yarn skeined up....in a lot of "yarn centric" countries, they export it (eg, South America, etc)


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## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

WOW! Lisa Wells! what a way to get a good feel of the country!

thank you! I bet you're going to have a lot of KPers drooling or dreaming about their next project.


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