Crochet Guild of America: Tour of Ireland and Scotland Day 11: April 8, 2003 Ferry to Scotland, Scotch Lace Factory, New Lenark Heritage Centre report by CGOA member Barbara Pretzsch

Tuesday, April 8^th  the early bus ride was short to the ferry.  The bright sun was shining as we approached the dock.  My imagination had us lugging our luggage on board and sitting on an outside deck with it for the crossing.  We were pleasantly surprised when we were unloaded at the entrance and while Tosca checked us in, we were able to send our luggage on the conveyor belt to the baggage area.  Now nice!  Then we went up the escalator and into a lounge where shortly we were asked to embark onto the Stena Ferry. 

Nancy Peterson, Kitty Sheffield, Margie Scane on Ferry

The group found a nice little alcove where we could all sit and leave ‘stuff’ while some wandered around the totally enclosed area. They had a Burger King - of all things!  Just in case anyone was hungry.

We sat and crocheted and wrote and talked.  I wandered some and found some nice things in the gift shop.  A TV was going on the other side of the ferry.  The crossing was very smooth, hardly any rocking.  We docked about 9:30, walked downstairs to collect the luggage and out to meet Michael John, our third driver of the trip.  We called him Michael though.

We headed up the coast toward Ayershire.  Yellow scotch brush was covering the roadside.  We could see the ferry taking on their passengers for the trip back to Ireland as we drove up the road.

The houses we saw along the way were ‘fisherman’s cottages’ so not so large, but along the way some of the larger towns had some very nice developments.  I had bought a map of Scotland and saw we were driving up Lock Ryan.  Along the high road looking down in the blue water and watch ing the sea gulls soaring along the rocky coast was picturesque.

In Scotland as in Ireland sheep dotted the hillsides, baby lambs frolicked or were resting in the sun.  The hills here seem steeper with bare trees not budded out yet, blue sky and sun shining over both rocky fields, and smooth and sheep grazed on both kinds of fields.  Shortly a small rock of an island Alisa Craig appeared in the misty sea of Ballantrae Bay. 

Jacquard patterns

We continued on to Darvel where we visited the Scotch Lace factory.  I found it to be very interesting.  The guide showed us the jacquards they used to determine the pattern and how they were made.  It seemed very tedious until computers came into the picture. 

Bobbins for Weaving

Then we watched them setting up the many bobbins that had to be placed for the weaving.  Several looms were going with men watching them closely.  If a thread broke, they would stop the machine and had it rethreaded in a jiffy. 

Land's End baby blanket

They have a contract with Land’s End for a baby blanket and he had some to sell as well as a few other items for sale at the end of the tour.

We had lunch at Baxter’s well out in the country. The countryside around this restaurant was peaceful, the fields stretched out to the hills beyond.

New Lanark Heritage Centre

By 2:30 we were out on the road again headed to New Lanark Heritage Centre.  Arriving about 3:15 gave us only a short time to visit the large complex.  The bus driver let some of us off at the top of the hill, then drove to the bottom for those of the group who didn’t want the hike.  The walk down was nice, being able to see the whole complex from above as we walked down.

Guide at New Lanark

This large complex was made of blocks of stone and bricks.  They were nice and clean and neat.  The factory part was nestled close to the river for shipping goods in the olden days.  The sun was bright, it was beautiful weather.  About 150 people live in apartments there but the first floors of several buildings were set up to show how conditions were in the 1700s and 1800s.   The man who developed this complex had very radical ideas for the times.  He thought that children should be educated and although they worked in the factory, they also had schoolwork in the evening.  He also thought that good health was imperative and his workers had access to affordable doctors.

The time to shop in the two or three gift shops was too short.  They had a great selection of woolen yarn with patterns among many other things to buy.   We were off again by 5:00 and by 6:30 we were at the Novotel in our rooms in Glasgow.   Dinner here was delicious and again such big portions were served!

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©2004 Crochet Guild of America. Article and Photographs: Barbara Pretzsch Webweaver: Pam Oddi

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