During the early summer we decided that we would go to Shetland in the Autumn. We had missed not going there for Wool Week in either 2020 or 2021. Previous to that we always went before wool week and had time to ourselves and actually wanted more of this again. So I decided I would attend some of wool week but with some provisos because of covid. We were fortunate as neither of us had succumbed to Covid, we were still wearing masks when mixing inside and in general just meeting people outside. I was very uncertain about meeting large numbers in an indoor setting and decided I would not go to any evening lectures, much as I really enjoyed them. We did want to meet friends we had made in Shetland and also friends from around the world. Michael had an additional booster in 2022 but I did not qualify for this due to my younger (?) age.
(Those that know me well, are aware that this worked until nearly the end of our time away, when I went down with covid and this is partially why I am so late starting to post this journal. I like many others feel fortunate in that I have only suffered from exhaustion, I am much better but still look forward to the day when I can say I am fully recovered. In my book, life is too short to feel tired from even slight ‘overdoing it’! )
As always we would take the motorhome and live in that. So we planned to be away for virtually all of September, a longer trip then we had taken before but we were very much looking forward to it and we made arrangements to meet several friends there before we left.
We had put in place watering arrangements for the parched garden and crossed our fingers for rain here when we were away as everything was parched and we didn’t want watering to be too big a task for our team of 3 who were to keep an eye on things. We had bought labels to put in the ground for plants to be watered but the ground was too hard for them to be used.
So we left home on September 3rd. This was a Saturday and we had especially chosen to do the main travelling at the weekend when we hoped we would miss most of the lorry traffic! We packed up for a month, the first time we were going to be away for that long. It was our first trip to Shetland since 2019 too, so this had meant many lists! The day of leaving East Anglia was about checking the final list and we were pleased to be off for 10.00. It was very hot and even when we got to our stop for the night just off the A1 by Tuxford it was still 26 outside.
This was a new campsite to us, convenient for the A1 but tired and a bit dated. It did have some wonderful large colourful flower pots that I thought I had taken a photo of, but it seems I didn’t. We were going to have some hard landscaping done in the garden when we were back with some more shingle and pots but perhaps these are a little too big. They came up to my armpits! (1)
So on Sunday we got up and hoped our hunch that the A1 and A66 going across the top of the Pennines would be quiet. We knew the trick was to get off early and we managed that. The drive was enjoyable but we noted that everywhere, even up north was brown and dry just as at home. It wasn’t until we got beyond Penrith that fields looked green. Then as we drove into Scotland we saw our first rain for what seemed like an age. We drove on to Hoddam Castle by Ecclesfechan where we like to stay. A very spacious and quiet site. We planned to have a complete rest the next day. We were pacing ourselves and wanted to enjoy the journey as much as we could.
On our day off we had decided to not drive anywhere, the point was to rest. Getting ready for such a big trip always has some stress! I still needed to finish Michael’s modified Wool Week hat so I hoped for time to do that. What we hadn’t envisaged was that we would have extremely heavy rain in the night. This was the first we had seen. We had remarked on how lush everywhere looked and that the summer here north of the border must have been very different from East Anglia, However, the rain cleared up first thing and we had a lovely pottery day and I learnt a new skill, taking a selfie and flipping it so that you can read any writing in the photo!
So, a quick shot of us, we don’t usually take selfies!
Michael’s hat is basically a shortened 2022 Wool Week hat designed by this year’s patron Linda Shearer from Whalsay. Michael likes a hat to be close fitting, I also altered the anchor so I could knit the ‘around the head bit’ on the knitting machine. (2) He likes a plain brim….the actual hat had a very attractive chain in the rib. The colours are to match Michael’s padded gilet which is lime green and royal blue and is usually worn daily in Shetland. In the planning I thought there would be too much black so imported some wave type motifs from a hat designed by Wilma Malcolmson when she was Wool Week patron for the ‘not in person’ Wool Weeks of 2020 and 2021. I have spared you the many photos of the wool wrapping and the sampling before we got to this stage!
So after Hoddam Castle there was one more stop and we had chosen to stay at Scone Palace which is actually at Perth Racecourse. We have found it one of the best kept campsites we know and it did not disappoint this year. Eg there is no grass in the gravel of the hard standing and everywhere is immaculate, flowers adorn public areas and the staff are very helpful and friendly. Scotland is always much quieter on the roads and it was a joy to drive the route again.
The next day would be a much shorter drive to Aberdeen. As usual we stopped at Glenfiddick garden centre for coffee in the morning. Covid had changed the system for the better and it is now Waitress service. We then drive on to Crathes Castle to get the van ready for the ferry and check we have everything we need in an overnight bag. This we did and I managed to finish Michael’s modified hat.
However, now being into Sept Crathes Castle was only open at weekends so no tea in the tea shop as usual (3). The grounds however are beautiful.
I took this photo a few years ago but it looked just the same this year, such a wonderful reflection. I struggle to find the water level!
I managed to finish Michael’s hat there (and thus before we got to Shetland) and had to be inventive taking some photos of this. The main reason being the sun was so bright! I have to look hard to remind myself where the water level is. I just love the colours!
The finished hat
The crown
…and wearing it
I suspect the expression is saying, ‘do I have to try this on again’ and a little advert for our much loved motorhome brand!
Now I could work on the design that is in my head for another fine lace cowl in cobweb yarn or knit more socks. With me, I had enough yarn to knit a pair from Kate Davies’ book ‘Bluestockings’ for myself and Michael. We both liked the first pattern so these will be pair 3 and 4 from this book and I am using the yarn she recommended (4)
I usually find someone from Wool Week to talk to in the lounge on the ferry but I was pretty sure I would not know anyone on the ferry this year as we were much earlier in Sept than usual.
We waited literally hours to get on the boat as more and more freight was loaded, apparently no freight boat was running, not because of the bad weather fortunately. Hence as much freight as possible was being loaded, we were squeezed in and one of the last vehicles on. This would be good news as we would be one of the first off the next day.
Unusually I took some photos, I had to buy a new iPad just before we left as my previous one would not hold any charge. I was trying out the improved camera and pleased with the results. We had a nice meal in the lounge and I, for the first time, took some photos of Aberdeen beach from the ferry. Views from the lounge as we had dinner.
All was very calm crossing as we boarded but we were warned it would get fresh and more fresh during the night!
I was completely wrong about not meeting anyone on the boat, as I sat enjoying my dinner I heard a familiar voice and it was a Wool Week friend, Suzanne from California with her friend! So for us the Shetland Wool Week experience had truly began.
We slept through any ‘freshness’ !
Notes
1.I have now found a firm selling these. Rather out of my price range I think as we would like a few.
https://bigplantpots.co.uk/products/biggie
2. I mainly use a punchcard machine (I had this from new in about 1976) and it works with a width repeat of 24 sts)
3. We usually cross on the ferry on a Friday night not on Wednesday as this year and see it is only open Thursday to Sunday in winter.
4. Kate Davies website. https://kddandco.com/ Her books are delightful and far more than just books of patterns.
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