Join Chiltern Rangers and Wycombe Museum to learn more about how wool was processed from sheep to mills to dyeing – and have a go yourself!

With with Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership.

Join us for this family friendly day where you can have a go at felting, making dyes from natural materials and then dyeing some fabric; unlocking links to our shared heritage – Wycombe’s river, the river Wye, is the reason many of us are living in the town.

Historically, its waters attracted people to the valley and by 1816, more than 30 mills were dotted along the Wye, grinding corn into flour, ‘fulling’ cloth, making paper, and sawing wood from the surrounding Chilterns’ woodland.

Start at Wycombe Museum where you will follow the journey of wool from a sheep being sheared, to the wool being pounded and cleaned or ‘fulled’ at the mill. Then move down to the Rye to have a go at dying the wool, and learning about spinning wool. ‘Collect stamps along your adventure and get your reward at the Rye at the end of the trip!

Tickets for this event are available here.

Need to know:

• Book a timed slot to get hands on and have a go at felting and spinning at Wycombe Museum (approx 45 mins) and then move to the Rye to dye by the Wye (approx 10 mins walk, and then approx 45 mins of activity at the Rye) – please arrive in time for your time slot – we recommend you allow approx 2 hours for the whole experience across the two sites.
• You will be given a map on the day to show you where to go – it’s approx a 10 min walk downhill from the Museum to the Rye.
• Suitable for families and individuals – under 14s must be accompanied by an adult and parents may need to help under 5s.
• This activity will take place at Wycombe Museum and outside on the The Rye and involves water, dyes and wool, so please dress for the weather and the activity!
• At Wycombe Museum there are toilets, a café and space to play in the grounds -for more info see https://wycombemuseum.org.uk/visit
• On the Rye there are public toilets, a café, adventure playground, rowing boat hire.
• If you are driving, see https://wycombemuseum.org.uk/visit for parking info near the museum. Or, if you’d prefer to park by the Rye where the event will end, closest car park is: Railway Place Car Park, London Road, HP13 6AB (next to Trinity United Reform Church and opposite the Rye) (pay and display) or the Rye Lido car park (also pay and display), Bassetsbury Lane, HP11 1QX. This car park is the opposite end of the Rye where the second part of the event will take place.
• Accessibility: Follow the path down from Wycombe Museum and there is a flat surfaced path to our activity on the Rye.

Tickets for this event are available here.