While I was wrapping up my rather quick week-long first time visit to Scotland, I was lucky to have been able to slip into the highlands for two days. I traveled from Kilmarnock on the South-West part of Scotland out past Perth, Stirling and finally into a small village called Dunkeld. Without question the little town wrapped in a valley of trees was as picturesque as I could ever have wished for!
My goal was to visit Hamish Moore and his son Fin, who are pipe makers. I had been following their handy-work for over 10 years now and always wishing I could purchase a set of their sought after smallpipes or borderpipes. Each set is hand-made with exacting precision. Not only do they make their own pipes, but they also make the reeds too - and that's no easy task! After spending over 4 hours with Fin in his workshop, listening to him play each different type of bagpipe that he makes, I couldn't help but want a set even more - maybe in the future I suppose!
Luckily I had all of the next day to spend wandering around the little towns of Birnam and Dunkeld - each placed across the river from the other. The little Bed & Breakfast I stayed at was on the Dunkeld bank and it backed onto a huge rolling hill (or mountain?). In the morning without looking at a map, I decided to go hiking up to the top of Birnam hill to play my pipes at the highest point. As usual, I did not realize the magnitude of the trek, nor the height of the hill... and I am never happy following a well groomed trail so I decided to take my own way up, and found it to be very challenging indeed! As I struggled my way up I found myself on a sheep path that literally was only inches away from the edge of a sharp and very high cliff.... luckily it lead me to a resting spot where I found ruins of a very old home.As I worked my way up to the top of the "hill" I met some other people who were so generous to take some photos of my while I was playing my Pipes. Please enjoy!
Until next time - cheers!
Kyle Campbell
