Cowal, the season Finale

I vowed to myself last year that I would enjoy Cowal Games this year and when I say ‘enjoy’ I mean ‘remember’.

Rothesay on Beautiful %#@is Island

Who could say no to a Saturday in Rothesay, the jewel of Argyll and metropolis of Bute. Rothesay always attracts the travelling support and the bus was fairly full as we left the village in the wrong direction,

The 2015 World Championship

Brace yourselves people this is going to be a rollercoaster.

Scottish Championships

It’s a nice drive to Dumbarton at 8am on a Saturday, hazy golden light and mist on the river. We were on time. Everything had gone like clockwork, early to bed, good nights sleep and up fresh and early. The evening before had been a nightmare of bread rolls and fillings, seeing how many you could squeeze in a tupperware and seeing how many tupperwares you could squeeze in the fridge. The band picnic was under construction and Subway had nothing on us.

Fer Saturday in Paisley

Saturday was Paisley Pipe Band Championships, a recent addition to the competition season and slowly building a reputation as a fun day out. Last year was miserable, the rain never let up for a minute and we had a piping malfunction in Grade 3. The forecast this year wasn’t very good and Friday saw downpours of biblical proportions, so imagine everyone’s surprise when Saturday dawned windy and bright. 

KPB bloom in Forres

“The bus leaves at 6pm,” we were told and as I didn’t get home til after 5 it was going to be a close run thing to avoid being fined. My youngest son accompanied the band this weekend on our second trip to the European Pipe Band Championship in beautiful Forres.

Busy Weekend

Let me tell you a sad tale.

On the Friday night before Bishopton Gala Day I began to experience old age twinges around my right ankle. By bedtime I couldn’t put weight on it so I sent Pipey a text crying off from the Bish march to rest my ankle for Sunday. Saturday saw me limping around the gathering band and getting accused of faking a broken leg to get out of the march (which is a long one), as if I would.

Ardrossan, competition and cake.

Late starts. Love them!

Pipey wanted us at Ardrossan for sometime about oneish but I got caught up converting pictures, tinkering with websites and playing my mandolin, that when I looked at the clock it was after 12 and we were nowhere near started. Years of practice mean that I can get into my uniform faster than Batman and it looked as though we might be on time

British Pipe Band Championship 2015

It has all the hallmarks of a memorable day; bright and dry. Even this early Brian is on the bus handing out fines for various misdemeanours; missing kit, late arrival and forgetting the box to collect the fines in.

Gourock in the Dreich

Welcome to the 2015 outdoor pipe band competition season. We have big plans for this year, we spoiled the Pipey last year, he wanted to qualify for one major tournament and we gave him two. But it all starts here in Gourock. We have never been in the prizes at Gourock due to having to play in monsoon rain and hurricane winds, they cancelled the contest one year just after we’d finished blowing bubbles, but that’s just excuses.