NOTIFICATION LIST OPEN: Crochet Crowd Goes to Scotland 2027

Mikey will be going on a backstage pass tour of Scotland, originating in Edinburgh and heading north and west as far as the Isle of Skye, then back around through Glasgow, ending back in Edinburgh. See tour details below.

We have space for only 44 guests. Because we're really going into the mountain areas, the hotels are tiny. You will either be assigned a roommate or you can sign up with someone else to fill the room. We cannot offer solo rooms, as the small boutique hotels have limited capacity, but we have secured enough space for double occupancy.

With Karen Ellis, my friend and neighbour, working closely with Joanne, we were able to navigate ourselves throughout a large circle of Scotland to find yarn shops, experiences, scenery, and, of course, shopping along the route.

Itinerary for 2027

October 2nd - Everyone to arrive at the Pre-Travel Tour Hotel to be ready to leave first thing the next day.

October 3rd - Pick up everyone and begin the tour. By the end of the day, we will have toured and will conclude in Inverness, Scotland.

October 4th - We will make our way west through Loch Ness and finish off one of the most scenic drive tours ever, finishing at the Isle of Skye. It's unbelievably breathtaking, even in the rain.

October 5th - The group will be split into two groups, with half going to Dunvegan Castle and the other half to a micro-textile mill shop. Then, the two groups switch roles to experience the same activities. There is another planned shop visit. Staying at the same hotel on the Isle of Skye.

October 6th - We will depart the Isle of Skye, stopping at a yarn shop before taking a ferry back to the mainland. From here, we will stop at the Glenfinnan Viaduct (train bridge seen in the Harry Potter Movies). Continuing to Fort William for an incredible yarn shop and stitch out. You will be staying in Fort William for the evening.

October 7th - Continue shopping, ending in Glasgow, in the heart of downtown, to keep you entertained and accessible. It will be the first time you are back to civilization since the beginning of the tour.

October 8th - We have a day planned with a hands-on activity that may have you in stitches.

October 9th - We are joining the fun at a yarn festival, taking it easy, and immersing ourselves in yarn culture.

October 10th - The bus will pick us up and take us back to Edinburgh Airport Hotel.

From here, you can decide to go home or stay longer. Talk to our agent about accommodations to extend your trip if you want to explore on your own.

Meals

Our tour will include only your breakfasts to get your day started. The rest of the meals and snacks are on you. Why? Catering is very expensive, and you can manage your food budget independently.

Background

We went to Scotland with expectations and realized that, within about three days, we would face obstacles we had to overcome to make the tour worthwhile. This made our first assumptions about what a Crochet Crowd Tour would look like go out the window. A new vision and a realistic nature of what Scotland is.

Our tour is customized to our goals and is off the beaten track, meaning some roads we will travel are just one lane in the middle of nowhere. Picture it: just you, countryside, and oodles of sheep. It's picturesque but also not for large tour buses.

The places to stay are small and historical, meaning no elevators exist. Guests must carry their luggage up at least one floor, sometimes several floors, to their room. Keeping with accessibility in newer buildings is something the UK does. Still, in many of the countryside, the old buildings are not retrofitted and are exempt from the laws requiring accessibility, as we have come to expect in Canada. Most restaurants have washrooms that are not on the same level, either in a basement or on the next floor. Some stores have multiple step levels, like a sunken living room without ramps.

In short, you must be able to walk, carry your own luggage and keep up with the group.

With currency exchange and the cost of living, we know that living in Canada, especially fuel, is a lot more expensive than in the USA. In Scotland, the costs were double those we come to expect in Canada. Fuel is about $1.45 per litre here in Canada, but it was over $3.00 per litre in Scotland. In short, things are more expensive. It will be reflected in the trip to cover the costs of food, transportation, activities, and accommodations.

We visited several locations, knowing that only a few would be visited by our group. We spent about fifteen to thirty minutes at each location, getting a sense of the vibe, interest, and whether the location would be suitable for our group.

You can sign up for this adventure if you live in the UK or other countries. For the guests on board our coach bus, it's not limited to Canada or the USA.

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