My husband and I holidayed on the Scottish west coast and made our way to the Isle of Islay (Eye-la). Wouldn’t you know this is where the Islay Woolen Mill is!
Of course we had to stop in!
If you’ve been to the Scottish islands or highlands you know there are a LOT of sheep. A lot. So it stands to reason there would also be wooleries. Yes!
Scottish knitting and weaving is amazing. And the mill I stopped in was nothing short of awesome. Established in the late 1800s, the family-run business operates out of a historic stone building and uses Victorian-era machinery. We watched a blanket being made and couldn’t tear ourselves away. A-maze-ing.
We popped by on Friday and the Monday before the mill experienced a flood, which destroyed the flooring and much merchandise. Because the structure was concrete they were still able to keep the mill operational but it did cause a lot of extra work to remove the water bucket by bucket.
Upon entering we were treated to an impromptu tour and demonstration. It was difficult not to purchase skeins and skeins of Scottish wool. I’m still wondering if I made the right decision. It makes such beautiful garments!
After visiting I began noticing Islay Woolen Mill garments in every shop I visited all the way from Glasgow to Edinburgh to London. And their beautiful clothing is also featured in movies like Braveheart, Forrest Gump, and Rob Roy.
What a neat side trip!
