Tuesday, September 16, 2014

15 September 2014

Today is going to be a longish drive up to Keswick (pronounces Kezzick). But since the woolen mill is not open Sundays, we need to make a slight detour, 5 miles south, to check it out.

The town of Trefwil used to be a major trade center before the river silted up. Today the woolen mill museum is the major attraction. They buy wool from the surrounding farms and blend it with wool from New Zealand, spin it, dye it, and weave bedspreads and yardage to make pillow covers, purses, hats, skirts, etc. The museum consists of three floors, a blending area where they combine the various wools, add spinning oil, run it through a huge carder, and create a pencil roving; a spinning area where they spin the singles, ply it, and put it up on cops or cones. Some is converted to hanks for dyeing. They also create the warps on this floor. On the bottom floor they have a dobby power loom – they call it a dobcross loom – with four fly shuttles. I took some videos – not sure how the blog will deal with them. (see FB for the video)





The whole place is run on hydro turbines, just like the Clifton Mill - only the pipe diameter is 20" instead of 30". 

Interestingly, they do not use the local wool It’s too coarse (Welsh Mountain). They use a blend of Shetland, Dorset, and Corriedale.

After I decided I did not need to spend L319 to buy and ship a truly beautiful bedspread home to OH, I settled on a pillow cover. Then there was the yardage. I passed on that too. They have a website and do mail order. Michael bought a couple of hats – a tweed tilbury and a waterproof cap.

There is a school next door, which is due to be closed next year and the kids will be bussed to the next town. The woamn in the shop was concerned about what would happen in bad weather. Sounds like the consolidation we have in the US. 



Back to England on the main highways. We stopped for lunch at a WelcomeBreak south of Preston – Burger King, KFC and a Subway. Actually, it was nice to be able to grab a quick lunch, even if it was lunch American style. Top up the diesel and we’re off.

The scenery is wonderful, but as usual, there is nowhere to pull off for photography. We’ve started using the iPad to shoot through the windshield.

We stopped at Ambleside to check out the boat rides, but decided to postpone the trip until tomorrow in favor of getting to Keswick and getting the laundry done. There are a lot of people walking along the road, or waiting for a bus to take them back to wherever they started.

"Steamer" on Lake Windemere


Keswick is an interesting town. I have never seen so many stores selling hiking gear in one place. Boots, jackets, hats, rucksacks, walking poles – you name it. Everyone walking around town has boots on.

We are staying on a street right off the main drag – Edwardian houses. Every other one is a B&B. Our hosts are really nice and the room is good sized. Lots of choices for breakfast. I am hoping to step back from the eggs I have been eating for a week. They are great, but more than I am used to eating.


Still need to decide what we are up to tomorrow and make reservations for Skye. Michael is reading something that ways you need to spend a month to photograph Skye. Great idea, but not this trip.

2 comments:

  1. The school looks just like the one in Doc Martin! Love the woolen mill photos. Is the yarn they are spinning grey? Or is that just the light on the cops? I would have had a hard time passing up the yardage I think, though I would have passed up the bedspread too, but only because the very first time I forgot to close the bedroom door, Mr. Carl would have a toenail through it. Plus, someone would kick it off the bed for being too warm so the dog would sleep on it. After the first time, it would never be on the bed again. :(

    Can't wait to see Skye! "Sail, bonnie boat!"

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  2. They have both white and gray wool. They were spinning gray, but I also saw white on the "twister" - plying machine.

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