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rapha tweed softshell
in common with several of scotland's west coast islands and the bulk of the highlands, islay is divided into individual estates, owned by what i believe would correctly be termed, the landed gentry. here, we have dunlossit estate owned by bruno schroder, ardtalla estate under the jurisdiction of sir john mactaggart, laggan estate which is owned by an irish family, islay estates in the possession of lord margadale and the smaller foreland estate in western islay. no longer is it a simple case of owning such land for bragging rights (other than that more recently purchased by a wealthy investment banker on jura); these parcels of land have to earn their keep. this is mostly achieved through shooting and fishing rights accompanied by often stately accommodations that might be rented by those wishing to participate in such 'sport'.
though the majority of the above still employ gamekeepers and ghillies, the lord of the manor, in many cases, no longer requires a doffing of the cap upon meeting him in the wild. at one time, until its alacritous demolition several years ago, there was a bridge across the road leading from bridgend in the direction of port askaig. it was allegedly built in order that the ladies of the manor (islay house: currently an hotel, but one time ancestral home of the margadales) could take their daily walks in bridgend woods without inadvertently coming in contact with the villagers. nowadays, there is open access to the woods for both pedestrains and chaps such as yours truly scrabbling about in the undergrowth on a specialized crux elite.
on occasion, i have met the gent who will one-day inherit islay estates, driving through the mud in his range rover, or returning from a morning's fishing. he was most cordial and remarkably well-informed about the tour de france, a subject we discussed for a surprisingly lengthy period of time. unfortunately, though deference to the landed gentry is no longer demanded or expected in this day and age, given that i was conducting a bicycle review at the time, my apparel was not of the sort that has one invited to afternoon tea in the big house. i've never had any misgivings about improving the reach of one's social circle, so perhaps i ought better to consider my dress code aforethought.
a friend of mine, who once was a gamekeeper on one of the estates, was required always to wear tweeds: jacket, plus-fours, cap etc., therefore, perhaps were i to continue my perambulations of the woods, dressing in similar manner would not be an inordinate order of the day, if only that i no longer spook the deer that frequent such parts. since several of the tracks within the woods lead to the aforementioned stately accommodation (this i know, having once taken a wrong turning), you just never know who you might meet; i'm sure there's still time to infiltrate the new year's honours list.
therefore, in the spirit of my immediate surroundings, it seems only right and proper that i dress accordingly. such as rapha's very limited production of the anniversary release tweed softshell.
presented in a charcoal coloured garment, featuring a prince of wales check design (how appropriate, don't you think?), the tweed softshell was first released in 2008; water resistance for wear both on and off the bike, a garment which looks every bit at home matched with a pair of (cycling) jeans as it does with classic winter bibtights. on wednesday evenings, i teach drumming to members of the community pipe band, lessons which take place in the local gaelic college (appropriate n'est pas?) about a mile from the croft. cycling there and back offers the perfect opportunity to dress smartly and in the scottish tradition (aside from every other useful artifact, the scots invented tweed); i've always found that kilt has a tendency to catch in the spokes.
this updated version of the tweed softshell offers water resistance that is a mere smidgeon below total waterproofing, evidence based purely on a very wet, wednesday evening round trip to the college. lycra cuffs keep unwanted draughts at bay, as indeed does the front zip and cosy, soft collar. the tailoring follows rapha's usual impeccability, meaning there's every likelihood that you'll outdo the usually worn sartorial appearance of the gentry to which i referred above. and better still, that sartorial elegance is every bit as excellent and pragmatic on the bicycle as it is when slumming it in a nearby stately home.
there's also an angled, zipped pocket at the right rear, with sufficient space to accommodate an essentials case, or digital camera or one of those distinctly proletariat smartphones. one hesitates to undermine such tweed gracefulness with unwarranted and conspicuous bumps in the fabric. and on those carefree days, when you'd like to hang out with your homeys, the relaxed fit easily accommodates a red specialized hoodie (the latter not necessarily recommended for palace investitures).
on current evidence, it may well be another ten years before this opporchancity happens along again. order one while you can.
the rapha limited edition tweed softshell is available in sizes ranging from xs to xxl at a reassuringly expensive retail price of £400.
monday 5 november 2018
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