Walking on Hadrian’s Wall

Posted February 5th, 2010 by Anna

Jeff Hill shot this footage of Kate walking on Hadrian’s Wall back in 2004. She had picked up a fallen branch along the way and fashioned it into a walking stick. After the walk, she brought the stick with her onto the bus. By the end of our tour she had grown too fond of it to leave it behind in Scotland. At Glasgow airport she tried to take it onboard. The BA clerk stopped her in her tracks and said ‘Madam, you can’t bring that on.’ Kate pointed to a fellow passenger who was walking with a cane and said ‘Are you going to let him on with that thing?’ The clerk replied, ‘Madam, that’s a cane. What you have is a stick!’ Kate didn’t give up easily and when her eyes welled with tears BA relented and checked it through as is. When it turned up on the carousel in Montreal with its baggage tags GLA-LHR, LHR-YUL we all laughed. We’d all but forgotten about it. Kate was buried last Monday with her walking stick.

walking on hadrian’s wall from a. lanken on Vimeo.

19 Responses:

  1. Campbell per My Ain Folk says:

    February 5th, 2010 at 5:52 pm

    I know the cromack . And a good staff it is.

    Harry Lauder amon others sang
    “TheRoad To The Isles”

    A far croonin’ is pullin’ me away
    As take I wi’ my cromack to the road.
    The far Coolins are puttin’ love on me
    As step I wi’ the sunlight for my load.

    Sure by Tummel and Loch Rannoch and Lochaber I will go
    By heather tracks wi’ heaven in their wiles.
    If it’s thinkin’ in your inner heart the braggart’s in my step
    You’ve never smelled the tangle o’ the Isles.

    Oh the far Coolins are puttin’ love on me
    As step I wi’ my cromack to the Isles.

    It’s by Shiel water the track is to the west
    By Aillort and by Morar to the sea
    The cool cresses I am thinkin’ of for pluck
    And bracken for a wink on Mother knee.

  2. Lee says:

    February 6th, 2010 at 2:04 am

    I will not get lost when I come back.

  3. Oddmund Kårevik says:

    February 6th, 2010 at 6:04 am

    Thanks for posting! I keep returning to your website, and keep playing your music. Yesterday I tried to listen to a Madonna song, but it was impossible. It felt so empty. So instead I changed the CD and turned on your debut CD. All filled with heart and humor. Your music is very habitual – when you start listen to it, it’s quite impossible to stop! Thank you so much Anna! I’m thinking of you these days. How your doing. But it is comforting to see that you bring up all your fond memories of your sister. She will live on. My very best to you!
    Love from devoted fan in Norway!

  4. russ says:

    February 6th, 2010 at 11:16 am

    Beautiful.

    i think Kate has also left us all her walking stick to get us through this life… that walking stick is her gift of music, her being and her legacy.

    peace, love and light,
    russ

    ps My deep and abiding sadness these days has only been overcome recently
    by a renewed interest in music cosmically through Kate. i have written to
    the Castagnari family in Italy with the hope of one day being able to get an instrument from them and learning to play… in the memory and honor of Kate
    and to try to fill that empty place in my heart that has filled with tears.

    When the wind blows these days here in the mountains of northern Vermont
    i feel it blowing right through me.

  5. russ says:

    February 6th, 2010 at 11:18 am

    Beautiful.

    i think Kate has also left us all her walking stick to get us through this life… that walking stick is her gift of music, her being and her legacy.

    peace, love and light,
    russ

    ps My deep and abiding sadness these days has only been overcome recently by a renewed interest in music cosmically through Kate. i have written to the Castagnari family in Italy with the hope of one day being able to get an instrument from them and learning to play… in the memory and honor of Kate and to try to fill that empty place in my heart that has filled with tears.

    When the wind blows these days here in the mountains of northern Vermont i feel it blowing right through me.

  6. russ richter says:

    February 6th, 2010 at 12:58 pm

    beautiful…

    i think Kate has also left us all her walking stick to get us through this life… that walking stick is her gift of music, her being and her legacy.

    peace, love and light,
    russ

    ps My deep and abiding sadness these days has only been overcome recently by a renewed interest in music cosmically through Kate. i have written to the Castagnari family in Italy with the hope of one day being able to get an instrument from them and learning to play… in the memory and honor of Kate and to try to fill that empty place in my heart that has filled with tears.

    When the wind blows these days here in the mountains of northern Vermont i feel it blowing right through me.

  7. Elise Maltin says:

    February 7th, 2010 at 2:08 am

    Thanks Anna….It is so kind of you to share your memories and I have been coming back to your website to fill up on them….I was born and raised in Montreal and saw you perform many times over the years. Take care of yourself – nothing can be as hard as losing a loved one…

    E. Maltin of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

  8. russ richter says:

    February 7th, 2010 at 1:08 pm

    i think Kate has also left us all her walking stick to get us through this life… that walking stick is her gift of music, her being and her legacy.

    Thanks Anna, for your strength and courage.

    peace, love and light,
    russ

  9. Anna says:

    February 8th, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    It is so inspirational to read your memories of Kate. Not only the way she lived is, but also the way you all love each other and show that love. This, again, is a lovely tribute. Thank you!

  10. Elizabeth Littleton says:

    February 8th, 2010 at 9:55 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful memories with her devoted fans. We truly are grateful.

  11. russ says:

    February 9th, 2010 at 8:38 am

    i think, in many ways, Kate has also left us all her walking stick to get us through this life… that walking stick is her gift of music, her being
    and her legacy.

    peace, love and light,
    russ

  12. George Rothenberger says:

    February 10th, 2010 at 7:33 pm

    My condolences Jane and Anna and family.
    I wish I could have met her and now the chance is gone. I ahve loved your work for 35 years. “I have all your albums” as they say, well not all but have been playing what I have non-stop and driving the wife crazy. I can’t get enough of Kate’s voice I guess. Anna your work with Kate lives on and we wish you the best. I’ve called into our local public radio station (KFAI -the real public station) and had them play something, a friend was running the ‘Stone Soup’ show today. Thank you for sharing your memories, Dane too, lovely obit piece, hello and peace and my deepest condolences to you all.

  13. Marian says:

    February 11th, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    To think you were so close to where I live! I have loved your music since the very first song I heard and although I never met either of you I’ve always felt a part of the music when I listen to it. Thank you for sharing your precious memories with us at this sad time. I am sure everyone who loves your sound sends their love and best wishes to all Kate’s family and friends and hopes that this small token helps you to step forward into the new day.

    Marian, Scotland

  14. ed chatham says:

    February 15th, 2010 at 11:39 pm

    I’m just another old hippie who’s been enjoying the music provided by you and your wonderful family and friends. I have a website, bebopvideos.com that’s a kind of mix of music and my thoughts on current events. I have so much McGarrigle & Wainwright material on board that I felt compelled to create a blog called bebop memorials and have loaded all related clips & posts on it as a permanent memorial to my favorite folks as they move on.

    I just read your blog today and your wonderful obituary and if you have no objection, I’d like to post it permanently on bebop memorials, you can find a link at the top right side of bebop video nooze. I won’t post it if I don’t hear from you or someone in a position to permit it. The site is totally non-profit. I’ve invested a good ten years demonstrating how not to make a living on the internet.

    Please accept our warmest regards, as we share something of your sorrow.

    ed andw cathy
    2140 redwood hiway k-11
    greenbrae, ca 94904
    )415) 240-5924
    diamonded@bebopvideos.com

  15. Paul Marsteller says:

    February 27th, 2010 at 3:02 am

    New Snow — scratch song -Paul Marsteller

    Surprised by my own tear
    when I first heard
    you’d gone from here
    I guess my heart knew
    exactly how much
    it’d been touched by you

    Oh, how you filled the air
    with long lost sounds
    remembered from somewhere
    I’d listen for you
    when I needed to hear
    something dear and true

    Goodbye, sweet harmony
    though you’ll never disappear
    All that beauty’s still out there somewhere

    You left in the hardest of winters
    though in the new snow
    your footsteps still show
    you’re lost but you’re found
    the trail that you left
    circles round and round

    Goodbye, sweet harmony
    though you’ll never disappear
    All that beauty’s still out there somewhere

  16. Paul Marsteller says:

    February 27th, 2010 at 5:27 am

    http://villagerecords.ning.com/profiles/profile/show?id=3qxekxncxn7r4

    In case you might want to hear the song I posted, in memory of Kate.
    Saw her in ’96 on the Matapedia tour and it was one of the absolute best musical experiences of my life, and I’ve had many.
    Painful loss.

  17. Bruce says:

    May 19th, 2010 at 5:02 pm

    To think you were so close to where I live! I have loved your music since the very first song I heard and although I never met either of you I’ve always felt a part of the music when I listen to it. Thank you for sharing your precious memories with us at this sad time. I am sure everyone who loves your sound sends their love and best wishes to all Kate’s family and friends and hopes that this small token helps you to step forward into the new day.

    Marian, Scotland

  18. Steve says:

    May 28th, 2010 at 11:19 am

    i think, in many ways, Kate has also left us all her walking stick to get us through this life… that walking stick is her gift of music, her being
    and her legacy.

    peace, love and light,
    russ

  19. Emily says:

    June 1st, 2010 at 11:34 am

    Thanks Anna….It is so kind of you to share your memories and I have been coming back to your website to fill up on them….I was born and raised in Montreal and saw you perform many times over the years. Take care of yourself – nothing can be as hard as losing a loved one…

    E. Maltin of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

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