The band's annual trip to Scotland shall take place between August 5 and 16.  The band shall be competing at the World Pipe Band Championships on August 11 in Glasgow.  The band stays at the University of Edinburgh in the west end of the city - see map below.  There are shows at Stirling, Blair Atholl and Edinburgh Castles and at the Palace of HolyroodHouse in Edinburgh.  The band shall also perform in the RSPBA parade on August 10 in Glasgow as Canadian representatives.  
We shall compete at the World Pipe Band Championships on Saturday, August 11 in Glasgow in the grade 4B category; the set of tunes are all 2/4s - Mairi Bhan, Drunken Piper, Rantin Rovin Robin and the Earl of Mansfield.  All music for both pipers and drummers is on the music section of the members site.
Please email me at bethany.bagpipes@sympatico.ca if you're interested in coming along - we have 20 rooms reserved in Edinburgh, and many have been spoken for.  Total cost for the rooms are $450.00 - a $100.00 deposit is requested to hold your room. Flights are to be confirmed, but we travel from Ottawa into Edinburgh via Amsterdam.http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

The location of the flats in Edinburgh are noted below.  Click on this link to see what amenities are nearby!  http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

We depart from Ottawa by coach from the Ottawa Railway Station on Tremblay Road.  The coach takes us to Montreal to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport where we get our KLM flight to Schilpol Airport in Amsterdam.  After a short layover, we take a regional flight to Edinburgh which arrives around 10:30 am.
We take shuttle taxis into the city to our flats at the University of Edinburgh.  Unpack, unwind, shop and relax - then only work on tunes on chanters and pads.
Each day there shall be a set time for practice - morning is pads and chanters in the flat, and soon after we head to nearby Bruntsfield Links for our full band practices (weather dependant)
We shall play at shows at Blair Atholl and Stirling Castles the week prior to the Worlds, and the Edinburgh shows at Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of HolyroodHouse will take place the 2nd week - dates are to be determined, but these are truly spectacular venues to perform in.
On a Tuesday night we shall head to the Scots Guards Club in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh and take in an evening of pipes, pints and pies..a great night full of history and excellent music!
Friday, August 10 we take the train in the morning to Glasgow to play in the RSPBA Parade from Blytheswood Square to George Square as part of the massed bands and then play a short show in the Square.  We are then guests of the Lord Mayor of Glasgow at a buffet lunch at Glasgow City Hall and we then train back to Edinburgh.  Watch the video of the parade on our Book Us page!
Saturday, August 11 is the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow.  We depart Edinburgh at 6;30 am to take part in the games; we shall also stay for the March past at 6 pm.  We travel back through to Edinburgh for supper and drinks; traditionally we head to the Scotsman Lounge on Cockburn Street, the Hebrides Bar near the Waverley Train Station, and then to the 3 Sisters in the Cowgate or the Blue Blazer - it's a grand way to end the big day!
Sunday, August 12 there is a great day of piping and fellowship through to Glasgow at the Park Bar. 

A great event to take in is the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.  Tickets and information is available through this link:  http://www.edintattoo.co.uk/
Purchase your tickets before heading over to make sure it's not sold out the night you want to go.  It goes on, rain or shine!

If you're keen to explore the UK or Europe, visit www.edreams.com for information on well priced airfare from Edinburgh.  Our location at the University flats is close to the airport shuttle spot downtown.
Megabus provides excellent and very affordable coach travel too; visit www.megabus.co.uk to have a look at prices starting from 1 pound!

The sets we play at shows in Scotland will be as follows:
Rowan Tree, Scotland the Brave, Wings
Green Hills of Tyrol, When the Battle is Over
The Maple Leaf Forever, The Thistle of Scotland
Skye Boat Song, Flower of Scotland
Amazing Grace
Highland Cathedral
The Worlds 2/4 Set, and more!  Come back for updates.