Track in Cranach Wood (Photo by Julian Paren)
Dates: 6–10 May 2025
Location: Highlands to Dunfermline, Scotland
Booking deadline: End of April 2025
Deposit: £300 (subsidised accommodation, meals, and travel included)
Host: John Sweeny (Small Scale Sawmilling | Independent advisor, Woodknowledge Wales)
Join us for an inspiring five-day study tour through the Scottish Highlands and beyond, as we explore how cooperatives and community-based models are transforming local timber economies. This is a unique opportunity for small-scale sawmillers, timber framers, woodland groups and foresters in Wales to learn from innovative businesses and grassroots projects across Scotland.
We’ll travel together by minibus from North Wales, visiting a diverse mix of sawmills, woodland enterprises, and sustainable forestry initiatives—seeing first-hand how collaboration is helping to unlock value, build resilience, and shape a thriving timber sector.
With travel, accommodation (single rooms), and main meals subsidised by Woodknowledge Wales, this trip is designed to make learning accessible, impactful and memorable.
Provisional Itinerary
(Subject to final confirmation)
Day 1 – Tuesday 6 May
Depart North Wales early morning by minibus.
Scenic travel day to the Scottish Highlands.
Possible site visit en route (time permitting).
Evening: Check-in at hotel near Inverness, group dinner.
Day 2 – Wednesday 7 May
- Craggach Woods: A practical look at woodland crofting and community forestry.
- Darroch Woods (Scaniport Estate): Award-winning productive conifer management.
Day 3 – Thursday 8 May
- Logie Timber Sawmill: Independent hardwood sawmill with farm estate roots.
- (TBC): Visit to a second sawmill or eco-village project.
Day 4 – Friday 9 May
- Glengarry Community Woodland: Community-led land ownership and forest management.
Travel south to Dunfermline (approx. 3-hour drive). Group dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5 – Saturday 10 May
- Scottish Wood: A sawmill and timber showroom that’s a model of sustainable business.
Return to North Wales – ETA early evening.
Who should join?
This tour is designed for people working in or supporting:
- Small and medium-scale sawmilling
- Timber framing and wood-based construction
- Community woodland groups
- Sustainable forest management
Spaces are limited to eight participants.
To secure your place, please email john.sweeny@woodknowledgewales.co.uk with your deposit of £300 by the end of April 2025.
