Step Inside The Story
We create journeys as distinctive as those who take them, curating unforgettable chapters of a life well lived. Discover unparalleled experiences in the world's most storied destinations.
Some people climb Arthur’s Seat for the best view of Edinburgh. But for me, little compares to watching the city go by from the window seat at Little Capo. This is where I recently found myself, shortly after Stanley Tucci had called the Pasta Alla Norma served here the pinnacle of his meal. Earlier in my visit to Edinburgh, I’d spent time with another group of Scottish craftspeople: master kiltmakers and trailblazing tailors. It struck me that, whether it’s pasta or tartan, seeing a country through the eyes of its artisans is what creates a real sense of place.
Family travel with NoteWorthy is never simply about the destination. It’s about the shared stories we create with our guests along the way. It’s finding a deeper, more authentic connection to a place and its people.
Butchers, bakers and memory-makers
From butchers to bakers, my own family history is wrapped up in generations of shopkeepers, merchants and craftspeople. So I love seeking out Britain’s artisans and opening the doors to their stores and workshops. It’s a thread that is woven through many of the experiences we curate at NoteWorthy.
In 21st Century Kilts, for example, fourth-generation kiltmaker Howie Nicholsby is blazing a new trail on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Coming from a long line of esteemed Scottish artisans, he stitches centuries-old heritage together with a dash of rock and roll.
Howie’s commission book includes Sir Billy Connolly and Harrison Ford. But when our guests flick through his tome of tartans, standing shoulder to shoulder with kith and kin, spotting their clan’s heraldry is a real goosebumps moment. I’ve discovered my own hails from Perthshire.
Then, when we arrange for guests to join Howie and his team for an appointment to create their own kilts (measuring precisely four fingers above the knee) his craft becomes woven into their own family story.
The jewels of the trade
Of course, a Highland kilt should be accessorised with a sporran, which brings me to Mackenzie Leather in Edinburgh’s Old Town, members of the prestigious Guild of Master Craftsmen.
Renowned for their precisely hand-stitched, traditionally burnished pieces, their store has a warm, nourishing scent. Neat rows of newly polished belts hang on the wall leading to the workshop, home to the storied plough knife used to trim the leather designs NoteWorthy guests can commission.
Just as tactile is an hour or two spent in the Scottish Textile Showcase, just across the road. You never quite know what you’ll discover here: Fair Isle woollens by Shetland knitters, cashmere socks spun in Scotland’s oldest wool mill, yarn from a Hebridean croft, plaid scarves. A private shopping experience means there’s time to linger over the tales woven into each piece and meet the people keeping Scotland’s textile traditions alive.
Made to measure
When planning an itinerary shaped around the sartorial, Kathryn Sargent truly is a cut above. Savile Row’s first female Head Cutter and now the first woman in the world to hold the title of Master Tailor, she has moved the needle for female artisans.
I have been privileged to wear her bespoke designs, most recently at NoteWorthy’s anniversary celebrations. Yet there was nothing quite like standing in the calm of her Edinburgh New Town atelier, the feeling of chalk in hand, as I was tutored in the exacting art of couture tailoring.
The kind of encounter that stays with you long after the shop door closes, this moment embodied the NoteWorthy experience. It was custom-crafted, thoughtful and authentic. Across Scotland, Ireland, England and France, I’m passionate about championing the skills and stories of their craftspeople, whether it’s the chef who hand-rolls pasta or the couturier who spins a yarn.
