scottish crafting

So I went to Scotland for 10 days just recently. I got back yesterday. What a hoot! I loved Scotland. Especially the last six days which I spent going on a Wild in Scotland tour through the highlands and outer Hebrides. It was fantastic.The scenery in the outer Hebrides was amazing. It was quite different seeing great scenery without trees. Twice some of us walked into the next place we were staying (bags driven in) and I'm glad I did. The walks were a great way to get out in the scenery.Here we are wading/swimming in Loch Ness. Our tour guide was posing as Nessie. Pwa ha ha. Those who swam were brave because the water was achingly cold. Scotland even has some stunning beaches but no where else have I seen sheep at the beach. I liked the hairy coos too (highland cows). I did wonder if anyone's ever tried to make hairy coo yarn...On the last day we stopped by a real Harris Tweed weavers shop. To be Harris Tweed it needs to be woven on either the Isle of Harris or Lewis. He said some make it to sell to fashion makers and so have to follow a set pattern. He just does his own thing which would definitely be more interesting. Unfortunately he was at the stage of setting up a new weaving process and had just started tying in the multiple threads.
He said it takes about 3hrs just to do that. You can see why huh? Once it's all set up he said it takes about three days of weaving about 5hrs a day to make 50 yards (?? I can't remember quite how long he said he makes it).

I decided to buy some. One metre (half of each you can see) for £12.50 for some genuine Harris Tweed that I got from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. I couldn't justify paying for a Harris Tweed product in the store we stopped at in town. Now I can make something myself instead. Excitement! And...the guy even gave me some "genuine Harris Tweed" labels to put on whatever I make. How cool is that? Very happy. The tour guide told me later that the guys face had lit up when I asked to buy some so that made me feel even better. So worth buying and squishing into my already tightly packed bag.

I'm not sure what I'm going to make yet but it will be saved for something special. For now I'm realishing in simply having this fabric and that I went to Scotland to get it. ^^