Marvellous march merits ‘Mallaig Harbour Authority’ moniker

The small fishing village of Mallaig, Scotland, is well known as the terminus for the spectacular West Highland Railway Line and as one of Scotland’s most scenic and essential ports. Thanks to the Mallaig, Ardnamurchan & District Pipe Band’s annual composition contest, “The Mallaig Harbour Authority March” by Dougie Beck of Mallaig is this year’s winner.

The two-part 4/4 was chosen as the winner out of 16 entries, and Beck received £150 for his efforts. Favourite native piping son of Mallaig, Duncan Nicholson, who lives in Glasgow and leads Grade 1 Police Scotland & Federation, judged the contest, all entries anonymous.

Mallaig, Ardnamurchan & District (MAaD) decided to honour “the generosity and support of the Mallaig Harbour Authority” in this year’s competition. Several of the tunes submitted over the years have been included in the band’s medleys and sets, and the band is already referring to the piece as “The MHA-rch.”

Here’s a recording of judge Duncan Nicholson playing the tune:

Entries could be a march in any time signature, and this year the contest was open to musicians of any instrument within the West Lochaber region. The tune had to accommodate the A-mixolydian (flattened 7th) scale of the Highland pipes.

Second prize and £100 went to Kenneth MacKenzie of Glasgow and Ardnamurchan, and the £50 third prize went to Allan MacKenzie of Morar.

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The prizes were presented at a ceilidh at the West Highland Hotel in Mallaig on November 22, 2025, with representatives of the Mallaig Harbour Authority joining MAaD members.