Last day on Islay

We have two workshops before we take the ferry to the mainland. Emely, the local fiddle teacher has agreed to give us a short tour of the island before we start. Unfortunately this means also getting up very early. I have to peel myself out of bed and can feel the strains of touring and having a full program every day without any break inbetween. Once we’re in the car I feel better and the different views of the island are rewarding and let me forget my tiredness.
Here are the boobs of Jura, a neighboring Island.

As promised we arrive short before 10 am at the first school. There are two workshops from 10 am to 12 and than from 1pm to 3pm at another school. The kids are just darling and very well behaved so the hours fly by. After that we have to catch the 3:30 ferry which is the only one for the day. This time the ferry ride is smooth and I doze all the way. Our car is still at the other side and after packing up we’re on our way to Glasgow. It’s a beautiful day and I think I see blue sky for the first time since I’m here. We stop in Inverary for a meal and some pints. After that it’s only about 2h before we hit civilization.
Here is one last more pic before nightfall

Our host for this night lives somewhere in the suburbs. After a brief hello I’m in bed awaiting my morning flight back to Seattle.

Early morning Ferry

We had to get up at 6 am to catch the ferry to Islay (means Island on Gaelic) It’s a bit stormy but relatively warm. The dock is about 15 minutes away from our hotel and we have to hurry to get there. The destination harbor got changed due to the weather and I hope we’re still getting picked up because we had to leave the car behind. It would have cost a fortune.
here is one of Davids pic during the ride.

It’s an estimated 2.5 hours on the boat. I can’t remember the last time I was on a boat for so long and I’m not exactly looking forward to it. The weather is getting worse and the waves higher. I have to concentrate so I don’t mess up their freshly cleaned carpet. Luckily I find a bench and lay down which oddly enough seems to help. When we finally reach Islay we’re picked up by a school bus that will get us to our first destination the local high school where we will give a 4h workshop for about 100 kids.
Here I go

After two hours there is a little lunch break and we get to chat with the director. The kids are very well behaved and it’s actually quite enjoyable. Directly after the workshop we’re picked up by Alan our dedicated driver and brought to another school on the other end of the island. When we arrive a teacher is welcoming us and we’re brought into the gym. These kids are especially sweet and very responsive. Once we’re finished one of the teachers is driving us to the B&B where we’re staying. She tells us that there is only one traffic light at the island and that is only because of a construction zone. There is also no roundabout, no cinema and no McDonalds. Once I’m in my room I cuddle up in bed to catch a little sleep before we’re going to our concert. Before we leave we get a fabulous dinner at the B&B. The organizer of the concert is picking us up and brings us to the hall. It’s a wonderful space where we can play all acoustic. It’s a magic last concert for me and everybody comes up to get a handshake, a chat or an autograph on the CD. They definitely want us back and I can’t wait ‘till next year. There are more than eight distilleries on Islay including Lagavulin and Laphroig so I need more time to explore.

Tarbert

This is our last morning in Lochgoilhead. Lee has outdone herself again with the breakfast and I’m absolutely stuffed. I go next door to Mark and Linda to wrap up and say goodbye. They all have extremely nice and helpful in the last days and I feel a bit sad to leave though I’m also looking forward to going on. We’re performing an afternoon concert in Tarbert which is about 75 miles south from Lochgoilhead. The roads are supposedly very bad so we have to get going. The rain stops as soon as we’re rolling (maybe it was the locals fault) and we’re cruising along the coastline passing little villages and rocky beaches. Next time we’re in Scotland I need more time to explore. Andy had told me that there is a big seal family about ten minutes away from where they life and i wish i had known that before.
We get to the venue with about 50 minutes prior to showtime and have a coffee and some snacks. It’s very nice looking, kind of like a Café style where they serve food. I’m not sure about the espresso machine though. We tell them to turn it off during the performance due to us playing all acoustic but it still goes on here and there. Despite that it is a successful show and we have a full house.



After that we’re going down to the hotel which is directly on the waterfront. Like in Ullapool we run into a staff party. Jörg an employee from Rostock is leaving tomorrow. We’re invited for a seafood dinner and some beer. I talk a lot with Stuart and his wife Lindsay, both local musicians that saw us at the concert. We hang out until about midnight. After a soothing bath I fall into bed like a stone.

Strachur

It’s the second day where we stay in Lochgoilhead overnight and have a show only 40 minutes down the road in Strachur again with Donald and Malcolm. Yesterday on our way back from Strone we almost ran out of gas so this morning when we were leaving for the workshops we had to ask around because there’s no Gas station anywhere. They say, no matter where you are, never let your tank go below half as long as you are in the highlands. We should have known better from our last close encounter but somehow got side tracked. Andy, my host has about 5 liters handy so we’re good to go. I had such a nice talk with him and his wife Lee this morning and I’m sure I made some new friends. That’s part of the beauty of the traveling life, you never know who you meet and who you connect to. After that I’m going next door to Mark and Linda and spend some time in their conservatory.
here's a pic of it

When we reach Strachur we find our friend Keith from Inverness and his daughter Eilidh who came down for a workshop and the concert. It’s Keith’s 60th birthday and I’m gonna play for him tonight. We all go out and have dinner together.
When we get back to the hall there is already a crowd waiting. 30 minutes later the room is completely packed and there is not even room for one more soul. Jamie and me are going on stage and hit it off right away.
Here we go

The whole room is almost exploding and it feels very good to be up on stage. After our set everybody comes up to talk to us and I’m in heaven. Than Donald and Malcolm go on stage and the party begins. I wish this was a dance hall

Strone

This morning I woke up with no idea where I was and it took a moment to orient myself. Sometimes this happens to me on tour especially if I dream a lot. When I come down to breakfast the table is already filled with all kinds of things and the net hour I just spend eating and looking out the window at the Loch.
Here is a view

Around noon we leave for Strone, there is an early soundcheck. We’re the opening act for Donald Black and Malcom Jones. Malcolm is also playing in the well known Celtic Band “Runrig”. The show is again in a church like building which was transformed to a community hall.
Here is a pic with Jamie, his brother David and me in front of the church.

We have some time to bond during the dinner after sound check. Both fellows are extremely nice and fun to talk to. When we return the hall is almost sold out and we have a good start. People dig it and cheer - I love my job!

Killearn to Inveraray

We stay over night in a hotel in Killearn and after a huge breakfast we get on the way to Stirling. Now to all of you who saw Braveheart, Stirling was one of the big victories of William Wallace where they stormed the castle which overlooks the city from a mountain. Somehow I can’t imagine living in those times and running franticly with a huge sword in the hand towards the enemy. There is a lot of history here and on very corner I can see some old wall or doorway that bears the signs of time. Despite the cars and busy streets I can feel how it must have been 700 years ago.
Here is a pic of the castle

We leave around 3 pm for Inveraray which gets us a little closer to the highlands again. We passed through it a week ago and I can remember most of the way. Inveraray is a little sleepy village right next to a Loch, also with an impressive castle.


Mark, who is our promoter for most of the shows told us that they usually don’t have a lot of things going on and it is more like an experiment to have a concert here.
He’s right and there are only about 15 people who show up. It is still a good show but I’m looking forward to the next days where we supposedly have bigger crowds again. We drive back to Mark and Linda’s house in Lochgoilhead which is only about 30 minutes away from Inverary.

Farewell to the highlands

In the morning we have breakfast with Duncan and Polly in their house on Skye. We have a long drive ahead and leave around noon. It’s gonna go all the way from the Isle of Skye to a small village north of Glasgow. The highlands look beautiful today and I feel a bit sad to leave and say farewell. I could have spend another week here just exploring and maybe do some hiking especially on Skye. We stop whenever we can to get at least some pictures. At some point we drive along Glen Coe, a famous pass road.


There is a story of two clans that met there to figure out their differences. At night one of the clans got up and slaughtered the other. That was unheard of at the time. I’m thinking about this and feel a bit creepy while driving along. Than it opens up and the landscape reminds me of Nevada. It’s amazing how fast everything changes here. Half an hour later we drive aside Loch Lomond in a lush green landscape. Though it’s very pretty we realize that we’re way late and that it took longer than expected. We’re supposed to meet Jamie’s brother David at the station in Balfron around 4pm. Now it’s 5pm and we’re still some ways away. Meanwhile it looks like England with lots of sheep on enclosed pastures. When we finally get there it turns out to be a little village somewhere in the Twilight Zone, at least that’s the way I see it. We find David somewhere along the main street. He’s overjoyed to see us. It’s his first time ever outside the states and he’s very excited to join us on our tour. We’re all starving and go to have some dinner in an Indian Place.
How they ended up here - nobody knows. With a full stomach we’re going to the concert hall which is still occupied by a group of girl scouts. Did I mention Twilight Zone? The PA is a guitar amp and two microphones so we decide to play acoustic and off stage. There are only about 20 people in the audience despite a huge article in the paper. It’s one of those shows that you forget as soon as the last note is played, not that we played bad, it’s more the whole atmosphere that is a little strange and almost unreal. Well, on a tour with many dates some gigs are just like that. Let’s see what the next day brings...

From Loch Ness to the Isle of Skye

In the morning Keith & Mary are taking us to the South end of Loch Ness which is about 7 miles from their house in Inverness. The drive leads us along the Ness river through pastures and small forests. It’s a gorgeous day, well it doesn’t rain and there are some blue spots all over the grey sky but the light is spectacular. All over sudden I can see the Loch from afar through some hedges along the street. It’s a majestic view once we’re there and it reminds me a bit of the Fjords in Norway. In the distance you can see the mountains through the mist steeply fall into the Loch.

Here is a nice view of the Loch

A perfect place for a girl monster. My question “why female?” was simply answered “because to survive such a long time it had to be intelligent.” I decide not to investigate further and just enjoy the view. We walk down the beach and skip some rocks. I could just stay here and camp out for the night but we have to get back and start driving towards the Isle of Skye.
Tonight we play at Skye College, a college for Gaelic language which is at the south end of the Island. The drive is again wonderful and I’m glad to get out of the city into the highlands again. We drive all along Loch Ness and pass a couple of other smaller Lochs before we get deeper into the mountains. It’s the same road that we drove a week earlier late at night to get to our show in Plockton. This time it’s light and we see everything. I could drive there all day long and not getting tired of the view. Some time later we reach the Skye bridge which used to be the most expensive toll in the whole UK before they stopped taking money. The angle of the bridge is kind of funny and instead of going straight it is a big bow and you drive up to the top and than down. About an hour later we arrive at the College which is located in what seems to have been an old estate, quite charming like so many other places we’re seen here. We stay in a tower on the campus, a fairly modern building which does not quite fit into the landscape. At the 6th floor there is a penthouse which overlooks the atlantic and mainland Scotland. The view is again unbelievable.


The concert is in a remodeled barn which is now the cultural center of the southern part of Skye. After the first half of the concert a lot of people come up and talk to us. This is the most gratifying moment when I can actually make contact and get to know some of the folks on the island. The second half of the concert passes in a blink of an eye. We have a guest dancer which turns out to be really good. Most of the times I’m not a fan of irish or scottish dancing because I miss the rhythm and groove but this time it’s great and I have a blast. Later after the show we’re invited to the organizers house for dinner. At about two we go back to our penthouse on top of the tower.

The IRA (Inverness Royal Academy)

The B&B we’re staying in is very classy with golden faucets in the bathroom and all kinds of little things around. After breakfast I walk downtown to do some email. Yesterday I spotted a WiFi Café which was not to far away from the main strip. I only have a little time before I need to be back for our trip to the IRA (Inverness Royal Academy). We’re holding workshops for the students. It’s two classes with kids between 14 and 16 years. I thought that they bring instruments but it’s more a question answer scenario. It’s great that the school offers to bring in professional touring musicians to talk about their experiences and give little samples of the music.

Afterwards we go back to the B&B to get some rest before the show which is at the St Michaels and All Angels Church. It’s a wonderful place and the acoustic allows us to play all acoustic. Surprise, we have an opening act. A young trio with two fiddles and a guitar. They play a couple of compositions that were especially written for Jamie and me. We sit in the first row and don’t quite know what to say or how to act, that’s something we haven’t experienced yet. Full of impressions and emotions we go on stage and start the concert and it’s just wonderful, a very memorable evening.
Here is a pic from the concert


At the end there is a little reception where people come up and talk with us. We’re starving again but our hosts have prepared a dinner at their house. It’s again a late night and by the time we’re back in the B&B I just crawl to bed and am asleep a minute later.

Inverness in the evening

In the evening we’re invited to go to a concert at a school. Kids will show their talent on various instruments including the bag pipe. I’m fascinated how traditional music is integrated from early age on. Some of those kids are not older than ten but already they have a huge repertoire and can really play. The Gaelic choir is just amazing. The average age is about 8 and they sound wonderful. Jamie and me are invited on the spot to play a ten minute set in the program and in the end we share the stage with about 60 young future musicians for a set of Scottish reels.

Here is a daytime pic of the river Ness. we stay about 2 minutes away from that particular view.


After that I’m going with Keith and his daughter to the local pub to see a well known guitar player and his band. I’m fascinated to see old and young together going out beer, dance and music, again a wonderful experience that shows what real community looks like. Late at night after we returned we’re sitting in the kitchen sharing music and playing for one another until my eyelids feel like an anchor out of water.

Further North

I wake up to the sound of wind and waves, looking out the window seeing the Atlantic and a couple of island in the far distance. After a simple breakfast I take a stroll down the beach to the next village which consists of about 10 houses and a pasture with lots of sheep. I’m in a slightly grey mood which fits the weather quite well. The wind picks up some speed and I walk back to the inn where I find Jamie sitting in front of a full Scottish breakfast. He forgot to be specific about it and is now confronted with black pudding, pork sausages, greasy bacon and two sunny side up soft eggs. That’s a challenge but he manages at least some of it.
After breakfast we leave and drive back over the pass to Plockton


We meet with the director of the “School Of Excellence,” a traditional music school where kids can learn the bag pipes or singing in Gaelic. We were supposed to give a workshop there two days ago but missed it. Dougy, the director who is also a famous piper that used to play with the Battlefield band knows the challenges of tour life and is very forthcoming even recommends a friends B&B close by where we could stay over night but we still need to find out about tomorrows show in Ullapool which is a good two hours further North.
Finally we get through to the organizer and find out that they screwed up and that there is no show in Ullapool. They feel very bad about it and invite us up to stay there for free for the next two days before we have to go to Inverness. We take the offer and get on the road which takes us half the way back to Applecross and than further North. At times the sparse landscape reminds me of Eastern Washington with only a little more green. After a while I realize that we’re low on gas. I had my eyes on this for some time but there was just no gas station anywhere. It’s getting critical and we’re starting to figure out different scenarios where one stays with the car and one hitchhikes or both walk in different directions.
It’s raining again and on top of it there is a windstorm. We come to a T crossing and I have to make a decision to go either towards Ullapool into the Highland nothingness or away from it toward some small villages. I choose the villages which turns out to be the right thing and with the last drop of petrol (that’s what the locals say) we’re rolling into a gas station. After that we turn around and are back on route North. The rain picks up and now it’s a full storm and I still have pictures in my head of being stranded without gas somewhere is the highlands in the twilight of the evening with no car or house for miles and miles. Some time later we reach Ullapool which has a small harbor and is bigger than expected.




After being in remote places for a while this seems to be a bit strange but the hospitality of our hosts and some food with good Scottish ale makes up for everything.
After dinner we go to the bar and just play music all night long being joined for a while by a local fiddler. Ale and whiskey are appearing out of thin air and I’m smart to leave some of it untouched. Late at night I’m asked to sing some songs over in the by now closed restaurant for a staff member that has her last day.
They have a little party for her and we stay until 2 am when we finally go to bed. Instead of staying here for two days we will go to Inverness tomorrow. The organizer of that concert invited us to come a day earlier and meet some musicians. That we do and play about two hours in the kitchen with three fiddles, percussion guitar and bouzouki.