Trad musician Gary Innes
Gary has been performing and composing music for over two decades. Born in the village of Spean Bridge in the North of Scotland, Gary is one of the founding members of award-winning Scottish super-group Mànran,
Gary is also host of longest running radio show on BBC Radio Scotland – the world renowned Take the Floor, and an ex-Scottish Shinty captain and internationalist.
“I have been, I would imagine there's very, very few places in the country I haven't visited or islands, for that matter, as well, which has been great because playing traditional music and getting to travel around the country performing in various locations has been an amazing experience for the last 20 odd years.
But for my 24 hours in Scotland, if I could just go anywhere right now, it would be to the Isle of Arran, and it would be to a wee village called Lamlash.
It all goes back to, I suppose, we naturally always gravitate back to our childhood and to those fond places that I suppose hold magical stories and family connections and things.
And that for me was because my great granny and my great grandpa lived in Lamlash and they were still alive when we were growing up and we used to go over each summer with my mum and dad and spend a few days, up to a week or 10 days with them, and we would always head down to the wee pier and go crab fishing and walk along the beach.
I'm from a little village called Spean Bridge on the west coast of Scotland, but we're surrounded by lochs, so fresh water.
Being beside the sea and being keen on fishing and things like that as well, we're then fishing for all the sorts of fish and crabs and things that we couldn't get in the lochs.
It just makes me smile even thinking of getting on the CalMac ferry and heading over to Brodick and arriving in Brodick and then three miles up the hill to Lamlash.
I suppose though it's being welcomed by my great granny and grandpa. I suppose that's the, that's their lasting memory really and having been back in the last few years it doesn't have the same kind of warm family feeling when you arrive, being met by your great granny and grandpa.
But what was really magic was, we've since, we've got two daughters, my wife and I, and little Gracie and Margo, who are four and two years old, and being able to take them over, and I suppose pass on some of that sense and love of the area to my own children now, that's very, very special.
Certainly, jumping on the boat heading for Arran would very, very much be up there for me.
Gary’s perfect day:
Where: Lamlash, Isle of Arran
Food and drink: Cullen Skink, Speyside single malts, such as Glenlivet and Macallan
Music: Runrig and Capercaillie
