Sassenach's Song

By Stephen Picton

I was born in England but always belonged in the Highlands. Since being bought here as a young boy from Kent by my parents on holiday - golden eagle spotting! - the majesty and mystery of the Highlands have stayed in my soul and I have always known I would end up living here. My wife and I finally moved to the Highlands eight years ago. She is a GP in Inverness and I divide my time between being a songwriter and running an Airbnb for visitors to enjoy the beautiful Moray Coast.

As a songwriter the Highlands are my muse. I am currently writing a song cycle called Musicalmanac - a year of human emotion in song - inspired by nature and the beautiful Scottish countryside, one song for every month of an extraordinary year. I wrote Sassenach's Song (attached) shortly after moving here to explain my feelings for the extraordinary place I am now lucky enough to call my home - it's sung by my good friend and fellow musician Josie Black (I play everything else). There's a video too, which you can view here (I'm the guy playing guitar!)

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Stories are at the heart of what we do as a project and we are always looking to learn more about what the Highlands and Islands means to people who live, work, and visit here. The timeless connection between people and place underlines many of the stories submitted to our project, including this one. We would love to know, what draws you to the Highlands and Islands - is it a favourite place, your family ties, or the rich cultural heritage of the region? Tell us below, we can't wait to hear from you!

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