A dream that began in 2016 came to fuition in 2022, as my two teen children and I spent five weeks in the UK: a day in Dublin, three weeks in Scotland, a weekend in England’s Lake District, then Wales, and a final excursion in southern England, including Oxford, Bath, Stonehenge and London. Click here for a full itinerary.
Our journey began with a short lay-over in DUBLIN, with just enough time to see the Brian Boru harp at Trinity College. The harp is in the magnificent 2-story library “Long Room,” which in itself is magical and a time capsule of ages past.
Then off to EDINBURGH we flew, for three weeks of studying harp every week with Karen Marshalsay. We saw four other teachers for just one lesson, including: Rachel Hair, Cheyenne Brown, Mary Macmaster, Rachel Newton, and a delightful visit to see Allison Kinnaird (her harps & glass studio).
During our first week, Marlyn met a group of historians who put together “Sing Psalms,” which concluded with a beautiful time of singing & fellowship together.
When we saw Rachel Hair in GLASGOW, we found the KELVIN RIVER, which is the setting for the Kelvingrove Scottish folk song (and basis for the sacred version, “The Summons”).
We then traveled north to see the HIGHLANDS, BALLINDALLOCH CASTLE (famous for the strathspey song), INVERNESS and ELGIN (namesake of where Marlyn grew up), which has a sizeable cathedral in ruins.
In the second week, we went to IONA for a night. “Went” included three hours by car on a narrow road through mountains, two ferry rides, and a bus trip on an even more-narrow one-lane road. But it was well worth the 8-hour journey, as the stark island was captivating with the Abbey, stone crosses dating back to the 700’s, quaint cottages, welcoming residents, and delicious food (including a beef pasty). On the way home, only about 5 miles from Iona, we had a brief stop in BUNESSAN on the Isle of Mull to see Mary MacDonald’s monument. She wrote the poem “Child in the Manger” and paired it with a Scottish folk tune, which in more recent times has become well known but with different lyrics: “Morning Has Broken.”
Back in Edinburgh, we hosted a special night of Scottish music for a group of WHEATON COLLEGE STUDENTS, who happened to be in Scotland the same time we were.
The third week, we explored more sites close to Edinburgh, such as the castle, the national museum that had the two oldest harps in Scotland, John Knox’ home (with a great kilt shop next door), St. Giles, and Bannockburn battlefield.
When we left Scotland, we traveled just a few hours away to England’s LAKE DISTRICT, staying at a youth hostel. We were able to tour Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage & Rydal Mount, sample some amazing gingerbread, and explore Beatrix Potter’s home.
Our ultimate goal after Scotland was reaching Cardiff, WALES to see Amanda Kengor, a former harp student, perform at the World Harp Congress. This was a dream since 2019, to see if we could be there to see her perform, and it was an amazing event to experience with her. We also ran into a new friend from Edinburgh, Elinor, who led the clarsach seminar and taught us folk songs from Scotland & Wales.
We did diverge from harp for just a few moments on the trip, as Matelyn demonstrates in this picture. Wales proved to be great fun on this afternoon…and it was a great way to beat the heat, as the UK had many days in the 80’s, including a record-breaking day of 110 in London.
Then the children and I spent a week exploring southern England & LONDON, which had a couple harp surprises, including seeing a harp gargoyle at Westminster Abbey, on special display for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
We are so grateful to those who helped make this trip possible: hoping for four years (2019 – 2022), exploring three weeks (mid-May 2022), planning three weeks (mid-June), traveling five weeks, studying with five teachers, seeing over 50 sites, and driving too many miles to count on the left side of the road.
SCOTTISH MUSIC ARRANGEMENTS
Balmoral Bagpipe Tune. 3 variations, including a simple version for learning “damping,” as well as a more intricate “Tribute to the Queen.”