Caledonian Canal Cèilidh Trail

Now in its 8th year, the Caledonian Canal Cèilidh Trail brings together a group of talented young musicians playing a variety of locations around Inverness, Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal. The Cèilidh Trail is organised by The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Service, and is partly funded by British Waterways Scotland.

Held in July and August, this year’s Cèilidh Trail kicked off with a Grand Opening Cèilidh at Urquhart Castle overlooking Loch Ness, and you can check out a short video of the Opening Cèilidh at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtTfjADueKg.

The 2009 Cèilidh Trail is led by accordionist Cameron Kellow, and trainee lead musician Rachel Campbell on fiddle. Student musicians in the band are Alasdair Taylor who plays guitar, mandolin and banjo; Rachael MacDonald on Highland pipes, Gaelic song and whistle; and Ewan MacDonald who plays fiddle and guitar. The team are also joined this year by TMC Folk and their MD David Bowen as well as Fèis Lochabair Ceilidh Trailers and young musicians from Fèis a Bhaile.

Details of the Cèilidh Trail events along the Caledonian Canal can be found at http://www.waterscape.com/features-and-articles/events/3847/caledonian-canal-ceilidh-trail-2009 where you download the 2009 programme and find out where to buy their CD! The team also have a page on Facebook!

If you have managed to catch the Cèilidh Trail on tour this year, or perhaps you have seen them before, make sure you drop us a note on the blog to tell everyone what you thought!

Hundreds Walk On Water With BWS!

Now if that headline doesn't grab your attention then we give up! The idea that anyone could walk on water may sound preposterous but that is exactly what we have been challenging the general public to do at events over the past few weeks.
How I hear you ask. Well, a couple of months ago we bought up giant inflatable water balls to use as a promotional tool at events we attend. Many discussions, meetings, method statements and risk assessments later we were ready to have a live human trial (we make it sound like a new medicine) at The Falkirk Wheel.
One member of staff volunteered to be the guinea pig, or to be more apt, hamster, that tested out the ball on the water. This was successful in as much as it did not let any water in and they came out in one piece! However, they spent most of the time on their side, back, front - pretty much everything but standing!
So finally on Saturday 20th June, members of the general public were invited to 'have a go' at Muirtown Basin on the Caledonian Canal. This was followed up by an appearance at The Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh where over 600 people tried their luck over four days! To view some footage of the ball in action visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKlT_pkPkrs.
We will be taking it to other events over the coming months, so keep checking back to find out where you can take up the challenge. We're all off to practice!