The Isle of Harris and Tweed

Scotland is only a small country in the United Kingdom of Great Britain. For much of it's history the nation and it's people have been incredibly poor but from this impoverished society some of the most influential people came forth to make their mark upon our world. There are few countries in the world that have not been directly influenced by the hands of the Scottish but few consider this when asked to think of Scotland and most of us would rather bring to mind the likes of Tartan and Harris Tweed.

Strangely much of what we consider to be traditionally Scottish, such as Harris Tweed and tartan is something of a Victorian invention created by the likes of Sir Walter Scott. Scott wrote incredible novels which romanticized Scotland and went to great lengths to introduce the British Royal Family to the country they ruled. Queen Victoria fell in love with Scotland and spent much of her life at Balmoral. Throughout her rule new tartan patterns were developed and much of the traditional Scotland we know today grew from this time.

The role of Queen Victoria (and Sir Walter Scott) in the development of the Scottish tourist industry can not be overstated. While the Queen's interest stimulated interest by the English upper classes it was not really until the development of the railways in Scotland that they began to visit the country. When the railways opened up Scotland the country quickly became the playground of the rich who enjoyed the pleasures of fishing and hunting.

To this day the railways have not reached the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides and few in the Victorian era visited this remote island. However, in 1844, the Earl of Dunmore asked the weavers of the island to create a cloth for him. His wife encouraged the weavers to create other patterns and did much to promote the product. Due to the incredible properties of the cloth, Harris Tweed, it was the perfect material for the sporting clothes of the new visitors and very quickly it became the choice cloth of the upper classes.

Hand made from local wool and colored using unique natural dyes there were few other materials that could compete. However it was not to last as cheaper materials became available from abroad. At an early stage the weavers of Harris ensured that only cloth produced in the Outer Hebrides could bear the name "Harris Tweed" and this has meant that the material is still produced today.

In many ways Harris Tweed has remained a popular material with many and the typical Harris Tweed jacket still sells extremely well. In recent years use of the material has diversified greatly and has been used in high fashion on a number of occasions. It is now possible to find a wide selection of product made from it and companies, such as Nike, have recognized it's qualities and used it in their products.

The Isle of Harris has, for many years now, seen an incredible increase in the number of visitors which continues to grow each year. In fact tourism now accounts for a major part of the Hebrides economy and it vital to the future of these unique islands. However the Harris Tweed industry has, very recently, hit something of a crisis point as the main mill has closed. Though the local Council and other bodies will be working hard to find a solution the future of this important industry is in a state of flux.

The Isle of Harris has plenty to entertain the visitor though most arrive with the sole intention of relaxing. Of course the unique landscape, fantastic beaches and seascapes, are world renowned but many now visit to trace their family roots, enjoy sports competitions, attend Gaelic and Celtic music gatherings and many, many other reasons. You will be glad to hear that getting to the Isle of Harris is far easier than during the Victorian era. Today there are regular flights to Stornoway on the adjoining Isle of Lewis but the vast majority arrive by ferry from the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides (which is now joined to Scotland by a bridge).

Article Source: http://www.health-fitness-for-all.com

Why not visit the island and stay in a hotel on the Isle of Harris or in Harris bed and breakfast?

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated