In 1973 at the age of seven Ross began to learn the Highland pipes after hearing them at the Cowal games in Dunoon. He was taught at his local pipe band in Port Glasgow by Duncan Brown and then went on for further tuition from the great Donald MacLeod. He became disillusioned with the Highland piping world of the 1980’s until he attended the Holmfirth folk festival. It was here that a whole world of music was first discovered. There was just so much fun with the sing arounds, dancing and playing, where anyone could join in and not a competition in sight. It was at this festival that Ross first met Malcolm Swindell. Malcolm was playing what seemed a strange set of bagpipes, they were bellows blown but Ross could recognise the Highland pipe fingering. Malcolm explained that what Ross was looking at was a set of Scottish Small pipes. From that time in the early 90’s his love of folk music grew after getting his first set of Small pipes and playing at local sessions around Cumbria where he was working. At the same time he began teaching a few friends the pipes and then decided to try making a set of pipes. With the help of one of his pupils who was a woodturner and with Ross having an engineering background he made his first set. Over the past 26 years Ross has perfected his pipe making and since moving to Balmacara, Lochalsh in 2004 he now runs a successful pipe making business **Lochalsh Pipes.** Ross plays with local musicians including Harta and has continued developing his piping with an eclectic style and repertoire.
lochalshpipes (maker of smallpipes and borderpipes) scotland
laburnum smallpipes, full rams horn mounts
Ross in his workshop
Set of small pipes made of Holly
Ross in his workshop
