Reprinted Articles

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.

Though the vast majority consider tartan and Harris Tweed to be fundamentally traditional Scottish nothing could be further from the truth. In actual fact much of what we consider to be traditionally Scottish was a purely Victorian exaggeration (and some say an invention). The famous author Sir Walter Scott and others took elements of the Scottish Highland culture and redesigned it in a more palatable form for the King of England. When Queen Victoria and Albert fell in love with the country more such creations developed to please the Royals and their parties.

It could be said that Sir Walter Scott and Queen Victoria created the Scottish tourism industry. Although there had been earlier visitors to Scotland they were few and far between as the country was remote and communication links were poor. Throughout the Victorian period interest in Scotland grew and, with the advent of railway systems, Scotland became the playground of the upper classes who indulged in hunting, fishing and golf.

While a small number of visitors ventured as far as the Outer Hebrides the majority wore Harris Tweed. Harris Tweed, produced only on the Isle of Harris (and Lewis) is a hard wearing and durable cloth of somber colors which was ideally suited for use in clothing for the Victorian and Edwardian upper class visitors. In 1844 the Earl of Dunmore had asked the weavers of Harris to create a cloth in a similar style to the Murray Tartan. Much encouraged by Lady Dunmore the cloth was made in various styles and quickly became popular.

Harris Tweed is heavily protected, it can only be produced in the Outer Hebrides and the methods used to make it have changed little over the centuries. The cloth is hand made and was used local wool, colored using dyes made from locally occurring plants. The cloth was incredibly tough and it was a long time before other products from abroad encroached into it’s markets however the industry eventually decreased.

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.

While depopulation continues to be a problem in the Hebrides much has been done to stimulate industry. Today one of the most important industries is the tourist trade which continues to grow year by year and is now a major element in the local economy. Crofting and the weaving of Harris Tweed continue to have a role but, unfortunately, the tweed industry suffered a major set back with the closure of the main mill. While the future of the industry is uncertain it is likely that there will be an enormous effort to regenerate it.

There is plenty to attract the visitor to the Isle of Harris, the rich Gaelic culture, the incredible number of archaeological sites, the unique flora and fauna and, last but not least, some of the most astounding landscapes to be seen in Scotland and the United Kingdom. Getting there is now easier than ever and while there are airports most travel by road across to the Isle of Skye and then by ferry to the village of Tarbert or Lochmaddy in Uist.

Last 5 posts by Angus MacLeod

• The Isle of Harris and Tweed - July 16th, 2008
• Harris Tweed and the Isle of Harris - July 16th, 2008
• Taking A Hebrides Cycling Tour - July 16th, 2008
• Scotland's Castles, Balmoral - July 15th, 2008
• Holidays on the Isle of Lewis - April 3rd, 2008

Tags: Vacation Destinations