Textile Journeys

GLOBALYELL LTD 4 SELLAFIRTH, YELL ZE2 9DG TEL: +44 (0)1957 744 355. EMAIL: [email protected] Textile Journeys 2020 dates Spring in the isles: Arrival May 12th/ Departure May 17th (four days/ five nights) £1194 (single supplement)

Tour creatively with workshops: Arrival 13th July/ Departure 19th July (five days/ six nights) £1400 (single supplement)

Late summer in the isles: Arrival 15th September/ Departure 20th September (four days/ five nights) £1194 (single supplement)

Shetland Isles - a world treasure for textile lovers These small islands in the North Atlantic have been centres of creative endeavour for millennia. Join us to discover, explore and create your own memories of this special place... • TEXTILE JOURNEYS • ARRIVING IN SHETLAND • Arriving in Shetland •

Getting to Shetland Introduction There are a few ways to get to the town centre, and this is a good way to see , the islands and more The first day on any new adventure is always exciting giving you a different view of how the capital has grown. information can be found at and it is lovely to share it with others. We will arrange visit.shetland.org or on the transport from the airport or ferry to your accommodation A walk along the harbour front past the Lodberries Visit site at curves gently around the base of the hill around which www.visitscotland.com to settle in before we start the tour. Lerwick has grown, and onto the Knab. Have a look at The tour will take in Lerwick but there is so much to the fine Victorian building that was once the High School Flights are operated by see that there simply is not time to do it all. Here are LoganAir as a codeshare with (the new school is near Clickimin broch) as you go past, some of the things we aren’t scheduled to do on the British Airways. If you are and a little further along, on the grassy Knab, you will be flying from elsewhere into tour but which you may enjoy doing anyway. able to see emplacements for guns that guarded the Aberdeen, Edinburgh or The main settlement in Shetland and the capital of the harbour entrance during the War. The town cemetery is Glasgow before coming up to islands, Lerwick, is where the majority of the shops and on the Knab, and there is a path that meanders along Shetland, check prices on a outlets are. A walk along Commercial Street, “Da Street” the cliff tops before going down to meet the shoreline at ticket all the way through in dialect, and into the Lodberries takes you past yarn the south end of town. from your chosen airline. shops, knitwear outlets and galleries, while the charity Flights arrive in Sumburgh shops can turn up unexpected bargains such as knitting at the south end of Shetland. In the town centre belts or, occasionally, jumper boards. The Lodberries is the oldest part of Lerwick, the name meaning houses Visit Fine Art where fine organic blankets from the The ferry is a good way to see privately owned island of Vaila are sold, and Jamieson’s the islands in the summer and stores with their own piers, originally built so that Spinning shop for yarns, knitwear and blankets. Have a months. You can book onto goods could be unloaded directly from boats in the Northlink at harbour. look at Ninian where local designers sell knitwear and woven fabrics, and open the drawers in Anderson & Co www.northlinkferries.co.uk The town is easily walkable, although, if you are heading to see knitwear from local makers. Aurora is another further out of town, taxis are available from the Victoria Bring your walking boots, a Pier. There is a ferry across the island of from raincoat and a jumper. The weather is always fun in Shetland!

3 shop which has woven and knitted pieces for sale, and for interesting books Shetland dialect about Shetland go into the Shetland Times bookshop. You may not hear much dialect on “Da Street” but it is an intriguing and Further out, the Shetland Museum has a fine collection of textiles, with pull- wonderful experience to hear someone speak with the accent, using words out drawers of lace knitting and , and art featuring the textiles of the that simply do not exist in English. For starters, try peerie, said “pi” as in islands.This is one of the stops on the tour but it is worth visiting more than piquant, and “ree” as in “real”. Peerie means small. There is a fantastically rich once! In the Museum are displays of dictionary of dialect which is very hard to find, but weave including the famous Adies of smaller dictionaries are available at Shetland Times Voe collection, and equipment One tour day is spent in Lerwick, exploring the bookshop. showing the various stages of town and its textiles. If you are out and about Each area of Shetland has its own accent. The manufacture. Opposite, Mareel, the make your way to the Museum (entrance is island of Yell has a particularly strong accent while cinema and music venue features lace arguably the strongest of all is from . In this free), go upstairs and pull open the drawers in knitting as patterns of light on the brochure, we have used poetry extracts from walls. the textiles displays. There are some Christine De Luca, a poet from Shetland who now If you are an avid walker, it is worth astonishing things to find... lives on mainland Scotland. Christine’s poem cycle going the other way, past the Tesco Makkin Sooth Aeshaness is particular to one area of supermarket and along the shore. This Shetland but the three poems together are area of Lerwick has some fine old wonderful evocations of how the landscape affects houses set back and, if you continue along the seaside road, it eventually people and the art of the islands. There is a translation of the poem at the leads onto another grassy area of emplacements. This is a good place to stop end of the booklet. and watch boats and ships using the harbour because it overlooks the South entrance and the island of Bressay. Finally... Shetland is home to many beautiful and colourful flowers, including orchids. - On the following pages are itineraries for each day of the tour. Depending on The flowers tend to be small and hug the ground to escape the winds that weather and circumstances, some of these may change, and the information blow across the land, but there are so many in some months of the year that given is not comprehensive. We want to keep some surprises for you! they colour the hills. It is worth having a close look at them and the wonderful shades that nature boldly puts together. A note on accommodation.

Out of town centre If you would like to spend more time exploring Shetland then you can book extra nights with your accommodation provider. Please ask us where you are A little along the north road out of town, Jamieson and Smith, aka the Wool staying. Grace at the Cornerstone can be contacted through Brokers, has a superb shop, full of enticing yarns and handcrafted articles, www.thecornerstonebandb.com and Pat at Valley Bed and Breakfast can be while on the outskirts, the Textile Museum is open in the summer months for contacted through www.valleybandb.co.uk. visitors to see the collection and to speak about textiles with the volunteers who run the organisation. Both of these are stops on the tour too.

4 • DAY ONE • SOUTH MAINLAND

The South Mainland is home to artists, craftspeople and industry, and many of Shetland’s wildflowers. We will visit factories and museums and a lighthouse, and have a picnic on a tombolo... Shetland’s beautiful South Mainland is very easily family (of Robert Louis fame) built a lighthouse which The itinerary reached from Lerwick and the first day of the tour has been restored to include interpretive displays, a will be spent exploring the industrial past and museum, wartime artefacts and a cafe with a splendid 9 am - Leave accommodation present of textiles view across the landscape of and head down to Sandwick, in the isles. Shetland . is also a centre for textiles an great place to see the production. The South Mainland abundant birdlife of the islands - has been settled for puffins especially in the height of 1 pm - picnic lunch on the millennia and there the summer season. dramatic tomobolo that joins is plenty to see and St Ninian’s Isle to the do on the way to Heading back northwards to Mainland. visit Sandwick and Lerwick we will pass ancient Hoswick, historically settlements and modern 2pm - Head on to Sumburgh important places for townships, each with stories of where the restored lighthouse the production of their own. We will have our is open for visitors on the textiles and enjoying evening meal in Lerwick before lookout for puffin spotting, a new revival. heading back the bed and coffee and cake! Hoswick has two breakfast for a well-deserved rest! companies engaged in knitwear, Laurence Odie is the 5:00 pm - Return for dinner. older of the two, while Nielanell has made a name as a Blendin colours designer. Nearby the Hoswick Cafe showcases some Nae winder Stenness is da name here: of the old looms that used to operate in the factory ness o stane. Der iverywye you luik building and there are displays alongside the some aert-fast, some lang vaeged. tweeds that were made in Hoswick.

Fae da broo da beach is fawn, but Our picnic lunch will take us across to St clos up, der mair colours i da stanes Ninian’s Isle where a magnificent sand as in a shade caird or i da fleeces tombolo, one of the finest in Europe, joins the island to the Mainland. A walk while lunch is o Nortmaven yowes: emsket, shaela, being prepared is definitely in order! moorit - dere, ithin da ebb-stanes ithin time’s meld o minerals, milled Continuing our passage south, we will end up at Sumburgh Head where the Stevenson (continued over page) 6 • DAY TWO •

LERWICK AND

Scalloway, the ancient capital of the isles, lies at the head of a small harbour, while Lerwick is actually named after its sheltered bay - Leirvik means “muddy bay”. Lerwick is the capital of Shetland although it only Next stop is the Wool Brokers who process Shetland The itinerary became that in the 18th Century. Built along the wool from crofters across the islands; an opportunity to harbour, the town is full of steep alleyways, small purchase yarns from a converted church and see some 9:30 am - leave our shops and hidden places... of the remnants of the herring industry of the isles. accommodation and head into town. Spend Lerwick has been a port for centuries, with periods of Another stop is the Textile Museum, housed in the Böd the morning looking at frenetic activity during the oil boom of the 1970’s and of Gremista. One of the looms from Adies is on working the Museum collection the herring fishing in the late 19th and early twentieth display here, and there is a collection of textiles on and having lunch centuries. Nowadays, the harbour is show as well as temporary before heading across to laced with a mix of old and new exhibitions. Scalloway for the buildings, both heritage and afternoon. industrial, while a little back from A hop away is Scalloway, the harbour is the main shopping the ancient capital of the Once we have had our area, Commercial Street. With a islands before Lerwick evening meal, we will little imagination, it is not hard to took on that role. return to our imagine how people lived in Scalloway has a castle to accommodation. Lerwick; grand houses set back explore and a Museum and the more commercial activities which tells the story of the running along the bay. Shetland Bus as well as bi tirl o tide an boo o wadder, till displays of textiles and ivery stane is different. Der markit We start at the Shetland Museum day to day life in the area. lik lambs ithin a flock book: marlit, with its fine collections, including a If there is time we will be display of textiles showing how the able to get to both. fleckit, kraigit, sholmit, brandit and world has taken on the knitting of some wi muckle colour patches at the islands and made it instantly On the way back to could be ca’ed bersuggit. Der stanes recognisable across the globe. It is Lerwick for the evening not only knitting however. Weaving meal we will stop to visit fur rinning owre, fur layin fish oot flat has had a hand in making Shetland some of Shetland’s most ta dry. A yoal, weel shoarded, lies abön textiles famous and we will see endearing inhabitants - da beach, a dab o red; sib tae aa some of the equipment that ponies - and have a chat produced fine Shetland tweed as with the owner of these da boats at wid a fished fae here. Noo well as some samples of that cloth. fascinating and feisty little horses. shjaldurs is da only life ithin da böds; a antrin stirleen paeks athin da stanes.

8 • DAY THREE • THE

The north of Shetland’s archipelago is a wild and beautiful area. Our journey continues through Yell to , the most northerly of the islands, to see embroidery, weaving and the lace knitting for which Shetland is famous. The North Isles of Shetland Heading across to Unst, we will Settin pattrens The itinerary comprise of Yell, Unst and , see lace knitting at the Heritage I da run waas der barely a door linked to each other and the Centre where there are or window left but, dere, ram-stam, 9:00 am - leave Mainland by ferries. Our textiles beautiful displays of the craft, da Dore Holm oppens on da sneck accommodation and exploration continues for a look at and nearby the Boat Haven is a head to Yell. A ferry the delicate and beautiful lace unique and evocative wider as I geng, an Fiorda Taing crossing is required knitting in Unst, which became experience; while the men went hes a window tae da ocean flör. and takes twenty famous during the reign of Queen away to fish, women were Lift your een, an you could swear minutes. Watch out for Victoria... involved in knitting to make orca and porpoises! some money for their families. Da Drongs wis a uncan langship Head to the the weave Yell is a peat covered island with three wi Jarl skipper skilin fae atween studio in Sellafirth main settlements, Burravoe in the Unst has some very beautiful a squaresail an da blackest prow. and the Shetland south, in the centre and beaches, and we may go for a Gallery next door. Cullivoe in the north. Our route will walk on the most northerly of Walkin farder on, he sterts ta sink take us along the east road of the those. Unst was also home to ta Urafirt. He nivver med hit shurely 12 pm - Ferry crossing island to Burravoe where, in season, the RAF for decades and, an battles still fornenst da tidal rip. to Unst for a look at the we will visit the Old Haa Museum dotted here and there among lace knitting at the which is full of interesting and unusual the heather-clad hills, remnants Heritage Centre, and a artefacts from the lives of islanders. Each summer, can be seen of the busy camps that existed. Some of walk on the white sand temporary exhibitions are held in the Old Haa and these buildings are very atmospheric and evocative, beach. there is a chance for home-baked cake and tea in the reminders of the different lives that have filled the small cafe here. history of the 4:00 pm - head back to islands. Lerwick stopping for Mid Yell lies along a voe, an inlet from the sea, and has dinner at Frankies for a sheltered harbour which has led to its growth as the On the way their rightfully lauded main settlement of the island. Between Burravoe and back, we will fish and chips. Mid Yell, the White Wife, a figurehead from a German stop at ship, the Bohus, that sank in the area in 1924, looks Frankies for across the sea while in the north, we will pay a visit to fresh fish off our own contemporary weave studio and an art gallery the boat that in Sellafirth. morning...

10 • DAY FOUR •

WESTSIDE AND NORTH MAINLAND

Our final day will take in some of the most spectacular scenery in Shetland and the Mill at Jamieson’s. Along the way we will meet ponies and sheep, see yarns being made and used, and walk along the edge of an ancient volcano. Our final day of the tour takes in some of the most and a good The itinerary spectacular scenery in the islands, and the Westside view of Dore of Shetland. Holm, a 9 am - leave collapsed accommodation and The Westside is a place of pilgrimage to many because it sea cave head west to Jamiesons’ is where Jamiesons’ Mill creates the yarns that knitters before we Mill. and weavers use. We will head out to the West, stopping head to the along the way to see some of the views along the way. cliffs of Then it is northwards The Mill is not always open to visitors but the drive takes Eshaness, to Eshaness. Along the in peat banks and native sheep as well as possible views part of an way stop at the final of the island of . ancient resting place of 18th volcano complete with lava field. This area is easily one of Century Heading northwards takes us through where the most photogenic parts of Shetland and we can walk Man, found in the peat the ocean almost bisects the land and where we can stop along the cliff edges to see the amazing folds and with his clothing and to look at some interesting contortions that bear witness to ancient artefacts intact. geological maps. The geology of upheavals. Castin aff the area is unique- we will be Aroond da ness, blue squill drifts tick Eshaness cliffs are stopping to walk along the rim of Eshaness was the home of Johnnie abön da shörmal, an oyster plants crug spectacular and there is an ancient volcano and on a lava “Notions”, a weaver who saved countless bluey-purple snug among da stanes. a cafe on the way where field, as well as seeing sea lives from the scourge of smallpox long we will have lunch. stacks and pebble beaches. before vaccinations eradicated the Dey aedge da art dat’s wirkit bi da sea: disease. His gravestone and another sichts an soonds, constancy an change. Back south we cross the On a small sideroad, we will stop which tells a tale of accident and revenge If you could but bottle aa dis beauty, bridges to Burra and to see the site where Gunnister are in the graveyard nearby. Trondra to visit... well, Man was found. The peat hid his or dry hit, hing hit on da raep, dan you will have to wait to remains and preserved clothing Our final meal is at the Scalloway Hotel sell hit tae a tristy an a fantin wirld, see! and a small bag for a couple of which is well-known for its local food you’d be möld rich, and dey’d be sained. centuries. There is now a stone before we head back to our Our evening meal is in and plaque marking the lonely accommodation. the Scalloway Hotel place where he was found. which is well-known for its lamb and Continuing our journey, we pass into the far north of the seafood. Mainland of Shetland with views of towering sea stacks 12 • CHAPTER 5 • JULY TOUR

In July we will be spending more time in the North, on the islands of Yell and Unst. Two half-days will be spent exploring scenic areas before going to do workshops on colour with Andy Ross and bonded fibres with Shona Skinner. Andy Ross Shona Skinner

Andy established GlobalYell as a textile training and education establishment in Shona trained as an artist , and taught art before moving to Yell nearly a decade 2005. He is a weaver of Shetland tweeds for his own company The Shetland ago. Together with her husband, Alan, they established The Shetland Gallery, Tweed Company and has lived in Yell for eighteen years. Andy grew up in showcasing art and craft from the islands. Zimbabwe before moving to London and then Shetland. Shona’s workshop uses fabrics and bonding material to great effect. Bonding This first workshop is about colour. We will use the inspiration from morning fabrics together before burning and distressing the materials provides endless walks to work with yarn, wrapping and weaving to create new colourways for opportunity to experiment and create interesting textures and colours. your own future projects.

The Details

Bring a camera or drawing materials on the walks. These will give us a starting point for our workshops. Don’t worry if you do not have these, or are not comfortable using this kind of equipment. Photographs and images can be provided.

Remember to bring walking shoes for this tour. We won’t be walking far but good shoes will make our strolls much easier.

The venue for the workshops is GlobalYell’s studio in Yell. The studio is open during the summer to visitors and we may have other people coming in to look at the art work and the textile collection.

You will leave the workshops with a couple of colour designs for future projects and some small pieces from the bonded fibre workshop.

At the end of the day we will go for dinner before heading back to the accommodation. Tea and coffee will be provided during the afternoon.

14 •• THE DETAILS Once you send us your booking form, or make a booking by telephone or email, we accommodate requests. We reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary and will send you a Paypal invoice with a 20% deposit request. You can send us your will advise if that is the case. deposit by Paypal, bank transfer or cheque. The deposit is guarantee of your place and the full amount is payable by GlobalYell has public liability insurance, financial failure insurance (please see the credit or debit card, cash or cheque, wording on the final page of this document for details about this insurance) and is eight weeks before the start of the also covered by Jamieson’s Coaches who provide the transport. We strongly tour. Any monies paid are refundable advise that you also take out your own travel insurance before travelling for peace in full if cancellation is made eight of mind. weeks prior to the start of the tour. After that, no refund can be given We take our responsibility for everyone’s safety seriously and visit all the all the and the full amount for each place on places we go to beforehand to try to safeguard you while you are with us. However, the tour is payable unless there are please take care when walking around and visiting; the textile industry in Shetland special circumstances. is alive and well and that means machines, yarns, heat and steam.

Accommodation is included for the We will arrange to pick you up and take you to your accommodation on arrival. At nights indicated between arrival and departure. We do advise that you come a day the end of the tour, we will arrange to pick you up and take you back to your before the tour starts in case of travelling issues. Our weather is unpredictable! transport. Please advise us of your dates Please ask where you are staying so that you can book any extra nights yourself. of travel so that we can arrange transport. Grace at the Cornerstone can be contacted through www.thecornerstonebandb.com and Pat at Valley Bed and Breakfast can be Please advise of any special contacted through www.valleybandb.co.uk. requirements; mobility, dietary, medical or anything else we should be aware of. It We will provide all meals on the tour including an evening meal for the first night helps us to plan and makes things easier and breakfast on the morning after the last night, and drinks are included in the if we know beforehand. Thank you! evening meal price. We are looking forward to welcoming you There is a minimum number of four people to run these tours to this itinerary. If we to our beautiful islands. have fewer, the tour will still run but the itinerary will be amended. Don’t worry! You will still see lots...

We reserve the right to make changes to the tour, and similarly encourage our visitors to ask about places they specifically want to see. We will try our best to Andy Translation of Christine De Luca’s poem - Knitting South Eshaness

Blendin colours Blending colours Settin pattrens Setting patterns Nae winder Stenness is da name here: No wonder Stenness is the name here: I da run waas der barely a door or In the collapsed walls there is barely a door headland of stone. They’re everywhere you look: or window left, but there, headstrong, ness o stane. Der iverywye you luik window left but, dere, ram-stam, some fixed firmly in the earth, some long travelled. the Dore Holm opens on the latch some aert-fast, some lang vaeged. da Dore Holm oppens on da sneck

Fae da broo da beach is fawn, but From the brow the beach is fawn, but wider as I geng, an Fiorda Taing wider as I go, and Fiorda Taing clos up, der mair colours i da stanes close up, there are more colours in the stones hes a window tae da ocean flör. has a window to the ocean floor. as in a shade caird or i da fleeces than in a shade card or in the fleeces Lift your een, an you could swear Lift your eyes and you could swear

of ewes: blue-grey, dark grey, mid- o Nortmaven yowes: emsket, shaela, Da Drongs wis a uncan langship brown The Drongs were an unknown longship moorit - dere, ithin da ebb-stanes there amongst the stoney beach above the ebb, wi Jarl skipper skilin fae atween with a Jarl captain peering from between ithin time’s meld o minerals, milled within time’s blend of minerals, milled a squaresail an da blackest prow. a squaresail and the blackest prow. bi tirl o tide an boo o wadder, till by turn of tide and spell of weather, until Walkin farder on, he sterts ta sink Walking farther on, he starts to sink every stone is different. They are marked to Urafirth. He surely never made it ivery stane is different. Der markit ta Urafirt. He nivver med hit shurely like lambs in a flock book: mottled, and still battles against the tidal rip. lik lambs ithin a flock book: marlit, an battles still fornenst da tidal rip.

fleckit, kraigit, sholmit, brandit and spotted, with white chest patches, white-faced, oo oo some wi muckle colour patches at body-banded, and some with biggest blotches that Casting off could be ca’ed bersuggit. Der stanes could be called “bersuggit”. They are stones Castin aff Aroond da ness, blue squill drifts tick Around the headland, blue squill drifts thick above the tideline, and oyster plants huddle fur rinning owre, fur layin fish oot flat abön da shörmal, an oyster plants crug for running over, for laying fish out flat bluey-purple snug among the stones. bluey-purple snug among da stanes. ta dry. A yoal, weel shoarded, lies abön to dry. A yole, well propped up, lies above da beach, a dab o red; sib tae aa the beach, a dab of red: related to all Dey aedge da art dat’s wirkit bi da sea: They edge the art that’s worked by the sea: sights and sounds, constancy and change. da boats at wid a fished fae here. Noo sichts an soonds, constancy an change. the boats that would have fished from here. Now If you could but bottle all this beauty, shjaldurs is da only life ithin da böds; If you could but bottle aa dis beauty, oystercatchers are the only life in the bothies: a antrin stirleen paeks athin da stanes. an occasional starling pecks between the stones. or dry it, hang it up above the fireplace, then or dry hit, hing hit on da raep, dan sell it to a thirsty and a starving world, sell hit tae a tristy an a fantin wirld, o o you'd be more than rich, and they'd be you’d be möld rich, and dey’d be sained. blessed.

o o o o o o

16 Booking form Please complete one form per person and return to GlobalYell Ltd, 4 Sellafirth, Yell, Shetland Isles ZE2 9DF

Name Address

Postcode Country We will send a PayPal invoice to confirm your booking, which you can make either by email, ‘phone or by sending this booking form to Contact telephone number us. Once the deposit is paid your place will be confirmed. Email address For those paying by BACS or other bank transfer, GlobalYell’s bank Do you have any special diet needs? details are:- Santander bank account. Number: 69743087 Sortcode: 09 01 55. Which tour are you coming on? For international payments, you will need to use this identifier: May, July, September ABBYGB2L.

What date do you arrive in Shetland? ______Signature: What date do you leave the islands? ______Date: How are you getting to and from Shetland? Please sign and date this form, and send it back to: By air Flight number GlobalYell Ltd By ferry 4 Sellafirth, Yell, Shetland Isles ZE2 9DG Other (please explain) ______You can email the form back but please make sure we have a Do you have any medical conditions or allergies that we need to be signature on it. Your place is not guaranteed until we receive your aware of? deposit. Our email address is [email protected].

Anything else you would like us to know? 17 FINANCIAL FAILURE INSURANCE

We advise that you purchase holiday insurance to cover you in the event of emergency or cancellation in addition to the financial failure insurance included, the wording for which is below.

Global Yell Ltd is a company committed to customer satisfaction and consumer financial protection. We are therefore pleased to announce that, at no extra cost to you, and in accordance with ''The Package Travel, Package Tours Regulations'' all passengers booking with Global Yell Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation form. The policy will also include repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Global Yell Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by The Travel Vault in conjunction with Towergate Travel through Zurich Insurance PLC.

Claims In the unlikely event of Insolvency, you must Inform Towergate Travel immediately on +44 (0) 1932 334140 or by email at [email protected] . Please ensure you retain the booking confirmation form as evidence of cover and value.

Policy exclusions: This policy will not cover any monies paid for Travel Insurance

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