It was 4 weeks since Christmas, when everyone was feeling pretty run down. But they had one thing to look forwards to – New Lanark Schoolhouse Weekend 2011.
By 7pm on Friday night all 15 families had gathered in the YHA Hostel in New Lanark. The aromas of a whole variety of meals were swirling around the dining room, as I sat and ate a bag of chips, kindly collected by the DGs on their way to the hostel.
While some of the adults got to know each other, and others caught up with friends made last year, the children had fun. The perfectly tidy lounge area was immediately taken over, and the younger ones in the group enjoyed upturning every available seat to transform it into unusual structures.
Saturday brought bleary eyes and plenty of coffee for the grown ups – but most were keen to get to New Lanark Heritage Centre situated in the centre of the village. The famous Annie McLeod Experience ride was enjoyed by all who ventured upon it, and the coffee shop’s hot meals did for lunch.
Braving the cold, a small group of us made our way to the New Lanark Mill Hotel’s Leisure Centre to take advantage of the swimming facilities. The tiny pool suddenly seemed packed full, as everyone launched themselves in to the water. It was great to see parents and children playing together, and enjoying their time together. Almost 2 hours later we all came out into the cold, with wet hair and completely exhausted.
Everyone split up for teatime, but quickly reassembled throughout the Youth Hostel to spend more time together. The dining room was adult central, with parents sharing their experiences, while the children began bringing pillows from all over the building to put inside the tunnel that they had created from the seats. Cave, tunnel, air raid shelter… who knows?
By 10pm there was a small circle of people in the lounge, at least 7 of whom were knitting away. It just seemed so stereotypically ‘home-ed’! Meanwhile most of the kids were either in bed or settling down in the TV lounge, which was an unexpected privilege for some.
On Sunday it was time to go, but first the hostel had to be sparkling clean. People chipped in and soon it was ready to leave. The Ss provided soup for all those who wanted it, before they travelled home.
