Record-breaking brothers who rowed from Peru to Australia perform gig atop munro

A trio of record-breaking brothers performed a concert atop a mountain peak in the Scottish Highlands ahead of a festival.

Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean, from Edinburgh, carried their accordion, bagpipes and guitar 3,196 feet up Ben Lomond, near Loch Lomond on Thursday.

The trio, known for recently setting a new world record for rowing from Peru to Australia in 139 days uninterrupted, performed a number of tunes, including a song they wrote for their father, but the brothers admitted the freezing temperatures made it tricky to play their instruments.

Ewan said: “We tried to play a couple of tunes at the summit, including Fae Charlach, a song we wrote for our dad, but the cold hit our hands very quickly and it became clear we couldn’t play for long.

“At that point, it was about knowing when to stop and saving the music for later, once we were back down and warm again.”

The daring brothers set off early in the morning, equipped with head torches and walking poles.

They noted the ice and snow, which made traversing the mountain difficult, but ensured safety was a priority.

Ewan said: “We checked conditions in advance, made sure we had the right winter layers and carried proper kit.

“We also made a conscious decision not to drink any alcohol on the mountain, sticking to Innis & Gunn alcohol-free lager and saving everything else for when we were safely back down.”

After reaching the top, they performed a short set in the freezing temperatures.

Ewan said: “We tried to play a couple of tunes at the summit, including Fae Charlach, a song we wrote for our dad, but the cold hit our hands very quickly and it became clear we couldn’t play for long.

“At that point, it was about knowing when to stop and saving the music for later, once we were back down and warm again.”

The brothers took on the latest endeavour ahead of this year’s Celtic Connections festival, hosted in partnership with brewer Innis & Gunn.

The festival officially launches on January 15 and concludes on February 1.

Jamie Maclean said: “We carried our instruments with us all the way across the Pacific, so to be back home playing them on a Scottish summit, and as part of Celtic Connections with Innis & Gunn, felt incredibly special.

“Standing on the mountain in winter, with nothing but snow and sky around us, was a challenge in itself. It felt like another very Scottish test: Tough conditions and big rewards, with music bringing it all together.”

The mountaintop gig was treated as a practice session for the brothers, who are set to perform during the festival on January 21 at The Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow.

They will be joined by a number of artists, including Ross Ainslie and Duncan Chisholm, who previously released a charity song in support of their row to Australia.

Vocalist Siobhan Miller and Mull-based duo Sorren Maclean and Hannah Fisher are also due to perform alongside the brothers.

Dougal Sharp, founder and master brewer at Innis & Gunn, said: “Everything we do is about quality, craftsmanship and pushing boundaries in the right way.

“Creating an award-winning premium lager in Scotland means taking the same care and ambition into how we show up culturally.

“We are proudly brewed by Scotland, and that means taking the same care and ambition into how we show up culturally as we do in our beer.

“Teaming up with the Maclean Brothers and Celtic Connections to put on a gig at the top of Ben Lomond just made sense. It brings together world-class Scottish music, an iconic landscape and a premium lager brewed to match the occasion. It is a moment that simply could not happen anywhere else.”

After completing the winter ascent, the brothers marked the moment with cans of Innis & Gunn Alcohol-Free Lager at the summit, before heading down to a local pub for pints, tunes and a post-climb session.

Donald Shaw, creative producer of Celtic Connections, added: “Our partnership with Innis & Gunn is built on a shared belief in quality, creativity and doing things with real intent.

“Their support for the festival goes far beyond branding and is rooted in a genuine commitment to Scottish culture.

“The Maclean Brothers share our adventurous spirit. Just like them, Celtic Connections never shies away from a challenge.

“Putting on a huge festival in the depths of winter involving more than 1,200 musicians from around the world is no mean feat. It involves hours of graft and teamwork – something the brothers know all about!”

Tickets for The Maclean Brothers and Special Guests at The Old Fruitmarket on January 21 are on sale now via the Celtic Connections website.