After two years of absence due to COVID, the North Uist Highland Gathering takes place this Friday, July 15, at Balelone Field, North Uist.
Games secretary, Ada Campbell, contacted bagpipe.news to give details of the piping events and shared her hopes that as many pipers have plans to make the journey to compete as previously did. Ada said: “As well as our local pipers, we have previously attracted junior and senior pipers from all over Scotland and some international pipers, but we understand it may take a few years to get back to the previous level of entries.
“Registration is taken on the day and we have senior events for piobaireachd, march, strathspey and reel, and jigs. There is also the Royal Celtic Society prize for the piper gaining the most points in the senior events. There are also two U18 competitions for the march, and strathspey and reel, and for U15 we have a march, a strathspey and reel and a 6/8 march. The Uist Pipe Band will also give a short performance at the interval.”
For pipers planning to make a short notice visit at this stage, there is a flight from Glasgow to Benbecula at 7.15am on Friday morning and from there you would need to arrange a taxi to take you to the Games field in North Uist. Travel by sea would mean a 2pm ferry from Uig on Skye on Thursday and an overnight stay. The ferry back to Skye leaves North Uist at 8.40pm on Friday evening.
