World record rowing trio the Maclean Brothers have arrived in Stornoway after paddling through the night from Ullapool to make it in time for HebCelt festival’s official opening.
Ewan, Lachlan and Jamie Maclean crossed the notoriously tricky stretch of water known as the Minch in their ocean rowing boat Rose Emily, finally conquering a crossing that had beaten them back twice before. The 15 hour journey took in a glorious Hebridean sunset, pods of dolphins, and a cheeky jokey challenge to a CalMac ferry, before the brothers rowed into the town’s harbour just in time for breakfast.
Ewan admitted the crew weren’t sure they would make it this time. He said: “We’re recently back from rowing across the Pacific last year but, our latest expedition has been rowing across The Minch to get from Ullapool to Stornoway to get to HebCelt, and we’re so excited we made it, because there was a good chance we weren’t going to make it to be honest, because we’ve been turned back before, but we’re here.”
With the help of two other crew members, the brothers navigated the crossing before claiming their prize, a pint from festival organisers, as reward for a bet shared jokingly on Instagram during the journey. They wasted no time plotting their weekend, with the trio all naming Valtos as a big favourite alongside Mec Lir, Peatbog Faeries, Beinn Lee and Manran, several of whom feature among the acts previously confirmed for HebCelt 2026’s first wave line-up. Peatbog Faeries in particular have deep roots at the festival, having been inducted into the HebCelt Hall of Fame back in 2010.
Lachlan said: “We just can’t wait for the weekend, and we can’t wait to see some of our favourite bands, Valtos are a big favourite of all three of us, Mec Lir, Peatbog Faeries, Beinn Lee is going to be epic, and Manran.” Jamie added: “The line-up is just unbelievable, the weather has really delivered, we’re looking forward to getting inside the festival and having a pint.”
The trio first hit the headlines in 2020 when, despite never having rowed seriously before, they crossed the Atlantic, breaking three world records and raising more than £200,000 for charity. That adventure led them to set up the Maclean Foundation in 2023, funding clean water projects around the globe. Their subsequent Pacific crossing raised a massive £1 million, with the cash now paying for boreholes in Madagascar that will give around 40,000 people clean water for life.
Rose Emily, the boat named in memory of the sister the brothers never knew, was reunited with them just days before this latest crossing. The vessel had been on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney following the Pacific row, before being flown home by the brothers’ partner Menzies Aviation.
They didn’t arrive empty handed either. Stashed on board were first editions of their new book, Three Brothers in a Boat, picked up from Ullapool Bookshop and delivered across the water to The Baltic Bookshop in Stornoway. The book, telling the full story of their Pacific adventure, is out in September.
The stunt comes as HebCelt gears up for what organisers hope will be another record breaking year, following an economic impact report showing last year’s festival generated £4.4 million for the Outer Hebrides economy, with the event on course to have contributed £40 million to the island economy by its 30th anniversary in 2027.
The multi-award winning Hebridean Celtic Festival has a unique setting on the Scottish Hebridean island of Lewis, the heartland of Gaelic language and culture, and has been a key feature of the Outer Hebrides since 1996. With key funding and support from Lewis Wind Power, SSEN Transmission, Creative Scotland and others, the registered charity provides a welcoming, community focused atmosphere thanks to a dedicated team of volunteers. Previous big names to have played the festival include Runrig, Van Morrison, Texas, Deacon Blue, Niteworks, The Proclaimers, Del Amitri and James, with last year’s four day celebration featuring Lulu, Tidelines and Skerryvore as headliners. Full details can be found at the official HebCelt website.
Hebcelt 2026:
- Mànran and Peatbog Faeries open HebCelt with celebrity guests
- Maclean Brothers row through the night to reach HebCelt Festival
Image credits: Hebcelt
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