This article was posted at pipes|drums today: Williamwood Pipe Band Plays at the top of Ben Lomond. The Glasgow-based pipe band lugged ten sets of pipes, two snare drums, a tenor drum, and a bass drum up the 3200 foot peak, and played at the top. The band did the climb as part of a fundraiser, which was deemed a success. This sounds like my idea of a good time!
I like hiking quite a bit, and here in western Maine there’s plenty of opportunity for it. There are dozens of mountains that provide day and overnight hikes ranging from short and steep to long and gradual to long and steep, but what most of them have in common is a fantastic view at the top. No one can argue that Maine is not a beautiful state, and from the top of a mountain on a clear day you get a chance to see a lot of it.
One of these days I’d like to pipe on top of a mountain, but haven’t done it yet for a very simple reason: to pipe on a mountain, one must get pipes to the top of the mountain. I hike light, usually with just a waist pack: water bottles, granola bars, a flashlight, camera, handheld GPS, and first aid kit is my usual gear. I like having my hands free for walking and don’t like to carry anything. Carrying a bagpipe case up a mountain, even with a shoulder strap, is not something I’d like to do, so my only option would be to disassemble my pipes completely and pack everything gently and neatly in my backpack.
It’s not terrible, and I’ve thought of doing this, but just haven’t gotten around to it. It would be a matter of doing it on a day when the weather cooperates and I can persuade someone to tag along as a photographer. If I’m going to play on top of a mountain, I want the experience documented!
Then there’s the other question of hiking in a kilt. It raises a lot of concerns, not a single one of which I would like to address in this post. In a future post perhaps, one that is likely to be not safe for work (or at least not safe for polite company).
Update June 7, 2009: The Williamwood Pipe Band has photos on their website of their journey. Check them out, they’re great!
You don’t necessarily have to hike up in a kilt. Bagpipes don’t require funny clothes all the time.
Great idea. I would be willing to carry the pipes for a portion of the hike just to hear them echo across the valleys from the top.
See photos of Williamwood pipe bands efforts on their website – stunning!