As some of you will know, my intended next project involves meandering around Scotland by bike and the odd bus or train, crocheting, knitting and spinning as I go. I will offer mini workshops and talks, visiting knitting groups and shops, fellow textile artists and people that I know - including my grandaughter, and her lovely family who live on Mull.
NB I have applied for funding to do this but have decided to start this blog and my preparations 'as if' the funding was in place - otherwise by the time it is, it will be too late to plan it well. I set off around the end of June 2015.
The Journey will result in a book and an exhibition of the objects I knit and crochet on the way. These will be things I see at the side of the road, wildlife and things that simply represent the mood of the day. So this era of the blog begins with the preparations I am making and the thinking and planning as well as of course being about the things I knit and crochet.
As luck would have it for the first time in my life I have a knee problem. However a very encouraging visit to the physio today, who tells me that the likely cause was very high cliff top steps on a walk and that cycling is actually good for it. If feels a lot better already! So it's back on the bike this weekend...
Here is a picture of the folding bike I intend to use for the trip and a taste of things to come...
It is a Brompton folding bike and it goes on buses as well as trains which could come in handy...
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Me and my knitting on Coldingham beach last month during a cycle ride.
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| The finished laptop bag |
Finally - a good idea today from a fellow knitter - to put my provisional itinerary on the blog so here it is. If you would like me to visit you and offer a mini workshop or a talk in exchange for accommodation. Do let me know - the above itinerary is provisional. A number of the places I stay will also be mentioned in the book of course!.
Proposed cycling itinerary
Depart Mon 29th June 2015
Day 1 leave Dalmellington East Ayrshire. Bus to Ayr. (South Ayrshire). Cycle Ayr to West Kilbride
on bike route. (North Ayrshire) total 26
miles. Stay Seamill.
Day 2 Talk/meet
knitters West Kilbride. Stay B&B
Seamill. (North Ayrshire).
Day 3 Cycle
to Ardrossan. Ferry to Brodick Isle
Arran. Cycle to Kildonan. Camp Kildonan. Total 19 miles.
Day 4 Meet
with knitters/spinners on Arran. (North Ayrshire)
Day 5 Cycle
Kildonan to Lochranza 30 miles. Stay
Lochranza campsite.
Day 6 Stay
Lochranza. Knit and crochet, write blog
etc.
Day 7 Ferry
Lochranza to Claonaig, Mull of Kintyre.
B8001 to Kennacraig, A83 to Lochgilphead A816 to Kilmartin. (Argyll & Bute) Total 31 miles.
Day 8 Offer talk/mini workshop and meet with local knitters or spinners Kilmartin. Stay Kilmartin.
Day 9 Cycle
Kilmartin to Oban. 29 miles. Stay campsite Oban. Visit local spinners and knitters etc.
Day 10 Ferry
to Mull. Rendezvous with Hubby for bike maintenance/check.
Stay night Craignure Mull. (Argyll
& Bute)
Day 11 Craignure
to Bunnessan Mull. 26 miles. Visit Ardanalish weavers. Camp Bunnessan.
Day 12 Craignure,
Mull to Tobermory. ( Argyll & Bute).
22 miles. Meet with local
knitters. Offer 2 hour workshop in return for
accommodation.
Day 13 Ferry
Tobermory to Kilchoan. Cycle Kilchoan to
Strontian. (Highland). 28 miles.
Stay bunkhouse or camp at Ariundle centre Strontian.
Day 14 Stay
Strontian. Deliver 2 hour mini
workshop. Catch up with crochet,
knitting and blogging. Stay
Strontian.
Day 15 Strontian
to Lochailort . 30 miles. Camp Cambusdarroch camp site.
Day 16 Lochailort
to Mallaig. 16 miles.
Visit local knitwear designer.
Day 17 ferry
Mallaig to Armadale Isle of Skye.(highland) Cycle to Broadford. Visit local spinnning studio. 17 miles.
Day 18 Offer
mini workshop in exchange for camping/accommodation.
Day 19 Broadford to Portree.
25 miles. Visit local knitting business/friends. B&B.
Day 20
Stitch n Bitch session and/or mini workshop Portree. Stay Portree.
Blog and knit.
Day 21 return Portree to Broadford. 25 miles.
Camp Broadford.
Day 22
Cycle Broadford to Armadale. Ferry to
Mallaig. Train Mallaig to Fort
William. Train Fort William to
Oban. Cycle Oban to Benderloch to Wool
Feis Highland wool festival. (Argyll
& Bute) 25 miles.
Day 23 offer talk/
stitch n bitch. Camp or
B&B
Day 24 mini
workshop.
Day 25 as above.
Day 26 Cycle to Oban. Train to Mallaig. Ferry Mallaig to Skye. (Highland).
Bus to Uig. Ferry Uig to Tarbert
Isle of Harris. (Western Isles). Visit Harris Tweed Company Isle of
Harris. Cycle Tarbert to Horgabost. Camp at Horgabost. 20 miles.
Day 27 Spend
a day writing and crocheting/knitting.
Day 28
bus to part way to Stornoway. Cycle 25
miles. Visit Hebrides knitwear
Stornoway. Ferry Stornoway to
Ullapool. Rendezvous with Hubby for bike maintenance and to replenish yarn supplies/ offload finished crochet
and knitting. Camp Ullapool. (Highland)
Day 29 Visit local spinners & weavers. Offer mini workshop/stitch n bitch session
in exchange for accommodation or camp Ullapool.
Stay Ullapool.
Day 30 crochet
and Knitting/blog time. Stay Ullapool.
Day 31 Train
Ullapool to Inverness. Cycle Inverness
to Aviemore 30 miles. Camp
Aviemore. Stitch n Bitch/ meet knitting group meets Tues 7-9. Rendezvous with Lee Renouf-Miller for bike
maintenance etc.
Day 32 Offer
talk Aviemore.
Stay
Aviemore.
Day 33 Sustrans Route 7 Aviemore to
Newtonmore. 16 miles. Visit Highland
Folk Museum. Offer spinning demonstration.
Camp Newtonmore.
Day 34 writing
and knitting time. stay Newtonmore.
Day 35 Newtonmore
to Blair Atholl Perth & Kinross. 34 miles Stay Blair Atholl.
Day 36 Day
off. stay Blair Atholl
Day 37 Cycle
Blair Atholl to Bankfoot. visit Organic fruit nursery Bankfoot.
25 miles.
Day 38 Offer
knitting and talk Bankfoot in exchange for accommodation or camp.
Day 39
Bankfoot to Kenmore. Still on Sustrans route 7.
29 miles. Stay B&B
Kenmore.
Day 40 Kenmore
to Lochearnhead 25 miles. (Stirling)
Day 41 Lochearnhead
to Dunblane 29 miles. Rendezvous with Hubby.
Day 42 stay
Dunblane. Offer knitting session and talk.
Day 43 Dunblane
to Glasgow. 33 miles.
Day 44 Visit knitting shop Glasgow. (Glasgow City) Offer mini workshop/talk.
Day 45 Stay
Glasgow, blog and crochet/knit.
Day 46 Glasgow
to New Lanark Woollen Mill.
(South Lanarkshire) Stay youth hostel new Lanark and offer talk.
Day 47 New
Lanark to Broughton. Attend spinner's event. Or offer session at
knitting shop. Stay
campsite Biggar. 19 miles
Day 48 Broughton
to Edinburgh.
Day 49 Offer
workshop to knitting/spinning group Edinburgh. Stay Edinburgh. (Edinburgh City)
Day 50 Edinburgh
to Penicuik return. (Midlothian)
20miles. Offer knit and natter/talk. Stay Edinburgh. Knitting and blog time. Rendezvous with Hubby.
Day 51 Colinton
to Haddington 22 miles. Stay Haddington
Day 52 offer
talk Haddington.
Day 53 Haddington
to Dunbar. Possible stay at
Innerwick. 16 miles.
Day 54 offer
mini knit workshop Innerwick. Stay
Innerwick.
Day 55 Innerwick to St Abbs. Stay Woolfish St Abbs.
Day 56 Offer
talk or crochet workshop St Abbs.
(Borders) Stay St Abbs.
Day 57 St
Abbs to Coldstream. Stay
Coldstream.
Day 58 Coldstream
to Hawick. Stay Hawick. Visit Borders Textile museum.
Day 59 Offer
talk or mini workshop.
Stay Hawick.
Day 60 Stay
Hawick. Blog and crochet/knit.
Day 61 Cycle Hawick to Langholm. 23 miles.
Day 62 Visit craft shop Langhold and offer mini workshop.
Stay Langholm. (Dumfries &
Galloway)
Day 63 Cycle
Langholm to Lockerbie. 19 miles.
Day 64 Connect
with local spinners & weavers. Talk or mini workshop or B&B.
Day 65 Lockerbie
to Dumfries. 15 miles. Stay Dumfries.
Day 66 Talk
Dumfries. Stay Dumfries.
Day 67 Dumfries
to Castle Douglas. 16 miles. Stay Castle Douglas.
Day 68 Castle
Douglas to New Galloway. 14 miles. Stay
New Galloway.
Day 69 Talk New Galloway. Stay New
Galloway.
Day 70 New
Galloway to Dalmellington 22 miles. – HOME.
(East Ayrshire)
