Nathan Maskerine - Bagpiper

What a cool way to end my first season! Exciting!!!
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It’s a pretty good morning when you’ve been informed that you’re PPBSO Champion Supreme for Junior Amateur Piobaireachd for the 2025 season!! This was my first year competing, and I absolutely loved every minute of it!

Break time is over. Time to get back at it, practice the new tunes, and pick out some more for next season’s solos.

My perfectionist brain loves this stuff…after a good summer of playing and travel, it’s time to bring the sets back to their shining glory. Full oils, wax, re-season the bags, and making sure everything is tight and smooth. IYKYK.

Everybody’s happy to be together again! Landed at 11:30 Toronto time today.

Last push in Scotland! Was on hold with Air Canada for two hours, but managed to get through and there was a single seat available on a direct flight this morning. Touch down at 1100 on Friday morning, Toronto time.

Here’s a couple pics of a lovely Highand cow (pronounced heelan coo in Scotland), and a monument in Edinburgh. Interestingly, instead of ripping it down because the dude was a bit of a loser, they have chosen to restate on the new plaque that indeed he was an ass, and the many reasons for it - so that people learn from the history. Perhaps Canada can take note….Dundas square could have remained Dundas square. Ryerson could have remained Ryerson. And perhaps we don’t need to topple any more statues of John A!! Maybe we learn to live with our history - good and bad - teach it, learn from it, and move forward in a better and more caring way??? But what do I know…..

Almost time to hop over the pond!

Took the train into Edinburgh early today to catch a bus tour of Rosslyn Chapel (of Da Vinci Code fame, though perhaps more appropriately - Knights Templar fame, Melrose Abbey (where the heart of Robert The Bruce is buried), and finally Hadrian’s Wall. The wall stretches across England - 64 miles long, 6 feet high, and 6 feet wide. Add in the forts across the country every 15-20 miles, the tall watchtowers every 5-6, and the short watchtowers every mile….and then try to comprehend how is was built in 6 years between 122-128 AD. Also add that the Roman’s built a vallum simultaneously (a deep v or w shaped ditch near to the wall). Bonkers.

Literally stuck in Scotland - yes it could be way worse, but when you want to go home to your wife and kids, any country kinda blows. Tried to call four different phone numbers last night and they’re all shut down.

A wee hike yesterday to some more ruins - a really good uphill climb with a few sketch “stay close to the ground” parts!!

Last walk about in Scotland before we fly tomorrow morning. I walked back to Old Stirling, crossing the footbridge where the battle of Stirling was fought in 1297. Then up to the beheading stone - and yes, that’s an indentation in the top where multiple axe heads have hit the same spot - and surely a crevice where blood ran down. Then over to walk about the old town again and finally up to the Church of the Holy Rude. Unbelievable stained glass - though more spectacular, in my opinion, is how the light reflects onto the floor.

What a day. So many amazing moments. FMM, Inverary, Boghall taking the field - all so incredible. The tone of these bands in real life is beyond explanation. A beautiful wall of sound! Good times in the beer tent - and listening to the awards. We do very well. Our band placed 10th out of 23 in our heat. While we didn’t qualify, I’m very happy with our performance!

Day 1 of the World’s yesterday: Juvenile and Novice competitions, as well as the first Grade 1 runs for final placing today. All of the bands yesterday were unbelievable - though there’s a special place in my ❤️ for our Canadian bands, and . I did get a couple of good pics of SFU and FMM at the line.

Yesterday the band played at Stirling Castle in the Queen’s Garden. It was a good play, and being surrounded by such amazing history and scenery was incredible. I spend a couple hours touring the grounds with my pipes in tow.