​Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band touring Scotland for a week

The Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band is spending a week in Scotland, touring with the Stromness RBL Pipe Band, and joining a Massed Band for the 200th anniversary celebration of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Thirty-one pipers and drummers with the Kincardine Scottish, along with 10 parents/spouses, boarded a bus to Toronto, Wednesday morning, headed for Pearson International Airport. They were flying to Glasgow, arriving early Thursday.

Friday, they will be travelling to Inverness where they will join up with the Queen’s Own Pipe Band, and the following day, they are off to the Scrabster Ferry Terminal, anticipating a Saturday afternoon arrival in Stromness, Orkney.

Sunday, they plan to take in some of the local popular sites during the day, and join the Stromness RBL Pipe Band and other visiting bands for a Massed Band performance at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution celebrations.

Monday, they are off to Kirkwall for the day, returning to Stromness for evening activities.

Tuesday, they are up early and travelling to Edinburgh, with a few stops along the way. Wednesday is a free day in Edinburgh, with a late afternoon engagement on the Royal Mile near St. Giles Cathedral.

Thursday, they travel back to Glasgow, fly to Toronto and return to Kincardine.

John McManus, president of the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band, says the twinning of the Kincardine pipe band with the Stromness pipe band began with the serendipitous meeting with Paul and Shaun Robertson back during the 2018 Kincardine Reunion.

As a result of the Robertsons’ grandparents moving to Kincardine from Orkney back in the 1950s, they maintain a relationship with relatives and were prompted to take the trek to Kincardine for the reunion.   

Paul and Shaun both play with the Stromness RBL Pipe Band and joined in with the Kincardine Scottish on parade and at events during their time in Kincardine.

The camaraderie led to several discussions on opportunities for the Stromness Band to march with the Scottish in Kincardine and/or the Scottish would travel to Orkney.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on any potential near-term planning, but fortunately, the Stromness Band was able to join the Kincardine Scottish at its annual Massed Band event in August, 2022, where an invitation was extended to the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band to visit the Stromness Band in Orkney.

Planning for Orkney began in September, 2022, and culminated with the Kincardine Scottish flying to Scotland, Wednesday, May 1.

Stay tuned to the Kincardine Record for updates on the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band’s tour of Scotland.