September 2019 Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine 39M
usic festivals passed me
by i n my yo u n ge r d ay s –
they were always something
‘other people d id ’.
But on a visit to the
Outer Hebrides about
10 years ago, I heard a track
on the radio that blew me
away. It was called
Gairm A’ Chuain/Wits End,
and was played by a band I’d
previously never heard of called Skerryvore.
From that moment on, I was hooked on music
from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
It turns out that Skerryvore headline
a festival on the Inner Hebridean island of Tiree.
Tiree is a truly beautiful place that is often
referred to as ‘The Hawaii of the North’, thanks
to its white sandy beaches and turquoise sea.
The Tiree Music Festival, or TMF for short,
is a smallish event capped at 2,000 attendees. It
features acts from the West Coast of Scotland,
from traditional cèilidh duos to fusion electro
Gaelic house bands.
What’s more, the festival offers a separate
campsite for caravans and motorhomes. I found
I was close enough to the action to partake as much
or as little as I wanted, yet far enough away to catch
up o n r e s t o r c h i l l o u t w i t h fe s t i v a l f r ie nd s w h e n
the need arose. Trust me, you will make festival
friends. Nothing bonds people quite as quickly as
a mutual appreciation of the same music.
My adventure started in Oban, at the Club’s
North Ledaig Affiliated Site – a large yet beautiful
location offering sea views from most pitches;
the perfect base for a spot of relaxation before my
onward boat trip. If you are heading to TMF, the
music will often begin on board the Oban to Tiree
ferry as impromptu sessions break out. The air is
thick with excitement and anticipation, and
everyone is smiling.Checking into the
festival site itself was easy,
and I was shown to my
pitch.Electric hook-ups
are available if you book
early enough, but as
Tiree is officially one
of the sunniest places
in the United Kingdom, my
van’s solar panel was more
than sufficient.
Over the next three days, many
different artists played a whole kaleidoscope
of music styles,albeit with a healthy and hearty
Scottish bias. A programme helps you keep
track of who is performing, where and at
what time, and each set is kept to about an
hour in length.LUCKY DIP
It is always worth dipping in and out at
fe s t i v a l s a nd m a k i n g a n ef fo r t to l i s te n to
artists you don’t already know. I had
never heard of Face the West but I popped
in to see them play – it turned out to be the
most entertaining and uplifting performance
I have seen in a long time, and I soon became
their newest fan (along with about 500
other people).
Festivals are not just about the music
though. There is normally plenty else going on
besides, and TMF was no exception. Having
never tried yoga or meditation, I took the
opportunity to enjoy a session of yoga nidra one
morning, which got my day off to a wonderfully
relaxed and smooth start.
I also eyed up the circus skills workshop
which looked terrific fun – but there were too
many young kids putting their parents to
shame with their tricks and turns, so I decided
to g i ve t h at a m i s s.To a music
festival
LET’S GO...
Andrew Ditton blows away the myth that music
festivals are only for the young and sets sail for Tiree
Alan Peebles