A Scottish Retreat with Andy Macdonald
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- “This feels like a bucket list destination”
We follow Andy Macdonald on a journey through two iconic Scottish skateboarding landmarks. First, Livingston Skatepark which is covered in heritage and culture; a staple for any travelling skateboarder when in Scotland. Then, the Highland Hideout, a modern testament to skateboarding in the UK, embodying the “build it and they will come” spirit. Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, this self-funded vert ramp, built by Stewart Orr, mirrors the exact dimensions of Tony Hawk’s legendary vert ramp.
As Andy takes us on this Scottish retreat, we discuss his ties to Scotland, drinks a can of Irn Bru for breakfast, skates the Livi bowl in freezing conditions plus so much more.
CREDIT
Collin Graham Clip by Evan Williams
Archive Photography: Ivan Omond / Ian Urquhart www.flickr.com...
I have fond memories of this park. Never skated but used to sit there at night and do buckets, lungs and waterfalls listening to Dj Ranking
DJ Rankin in the mix mutha f*#%*
No one skates vert quite like Andy Macdonald. An absolute joy to watch. And what an amazing place that is. Congrats
This is absolute gold. Love seeing Scotland getting some recognition.
With the English journos doing the shortbread and IRN BRU thing? aye fek off Nigel .
Imagine Andy Mac hanging out with Andy Anderson. Two of the nicest guys in the skateboard realm.
This was joyus.
Your grandpa would be thrilled to know you were skating in Scotland!
Aye... for sure. 👍
Legend still strong at 51
After my freshman year in high school, WAY back in 2005, my best friend and I went to the Uk for a month. We didn't come here, didn't know of it and we are street guys, but we were fortunate to hit up Bristo square and at the time it was an incredible scene. One of my all time favorite days of skating.
as a native edinburgh lad, bristo is still alive and well as is the museum steps, sighthill skatepark is overrun with bikes and scooters.
@moffat5914 I never went to those places. We were in the city for just a few days and every time we'd get kicked out, whoever did it would tell us to go to Bristo. I remember some fruit booters chilling there hoping the crowd would thin out. Lovely city
What a great vid promoting the scene and the country ❤
Am not into skating at all but this popped up on my feed and have to say I loved it!! Great video and welcome to Scotland 🏴👍🏻
They hit you with the howling modified version of ‘Bru - replaced the sugar with toxic aspartame. You need the 1901 version! 🤙
I bought a few 24 packs years ago when they changed the recipe. Sadly all gone now
@@BigStuCorby Tragic, aint it? What a way to monumentally devalue your world renowned product - all to avoid paying Taxes!
I still have a sealed 12 case of the last run of glass bottles from 2018 (long since expired) and x2 crates of first batch of ltd ed 1901 glass bottles from December 2019 - which contrary to the pish BARR's hit out with, was 'definitely' a better & different recipe to the one from 2020 till the current day...as tasty as it still is! 😂
i became aware & fascinated by iron bru over 2 decades ago but have never got to try it, so it's sad to know now that if i do ever get to it just won't be the same
@i-never-look-at-replies-lol there is an original 1901 recipe irn-bru available.
Actually, the biggest difference is that up to the 80s it was made with cane sugar.
@@leannecampbell4551it wasn't so barrs could avoid taxes (i.e. paying the then new soft drinks industry levy), it was as they thought customers wouldn't pay the price increase. Coke kept the recipe and upped the price to compensate. Just a point, it's not really what I'd call avoiding tax I guess.
Andy the legend.. was so stoked to meet him in philly as a kid or young teen all by himself skating
Love how Andy is embracing this. Brilliant. Last weekend in June Andy!
Hope you had a great time, we are a wee but special country! Great to see you that you made it up north, the further north you go the better it gets ;)
I grew up and still stay right next to the skate park, you should be there in the summer it’s much more of an experience rather than the middle of winter 😂
Closest I've ever got to skateboarding is on Tony Hawk's on the PlayStation, however being from Scotland I love that Andy's took the time to come visit.
Amazing video, There's lots more to see here mate!
Pure joy watching this, rekindled from my childhood!! First skated this in 1990 on a wee banana board and went out there from Edinburgh often. Back in the day there was also a full BMX dirt track and putting green round the corner!! As somone who, would have to do a lot of yoga for my injuries to be able to bare a skating session, I am well impressed to see Andy rippin at his age in 2 degrees icy cold. What a guy!
Andy is a class act
Loved the video. Great memories of Livi visits in the late 80s early 90s getting lifts through from parents. Then into the late 90s driving ourselves.
What a nice fella and doing a front side over there in the ice 😅 livingstone skatepark is legendary always will be 👌 amazing ramp with some amazing people what you be any better .🙌
LEGEND! So sick, the yellow helmet made it to Scotland.
That was the gnarliest front rock in skateboard history. Great stuff.
this is incredible, i had no idea that we had a new Vert ramp in scotland!
all of the other ones i know of are in total disrepair, definitely taking note of this
It's not that new it's easily 80s maybe earlier
Jsut realised you meant the vertical ramp didn't finish the whole video before commenting haha 😅
Is the church in Annie land in Glasgow still there??? That place was nuts and dry 😊
So sick andy.. still killing it. Best kick flip indys ever.. Kids have no clue
Beautiful country
Always been a fan of Andy since I first saw him at the combi bowl at vans, gets me fired up that his still killing it and is this involved in skating, hell yeah I’m going skating after this. Lol
Andy McDonald just became one of my favorite skaters.. this was one of the coolest and most interesting videos from a vert skater.. 🤝
The Highland Hideout is an incredible ramp, it's surreal. Inside you are in an 80's vert scene immersion zone. Then you step outside and it's sheep and midgies with breathtaking scenery.
As for the ramp itself ? It's fast, brutally fast. Without pumping you are in the vert after dropping in. Both walls are identical which may sound silly to say but if you skate enough big stuff you will notice that there are defects between the walls. Not so at the Hideout. Incredible and hats off to Mr Orr for being bonkers enough to create it
Brilliant, popped up on my Facebook and brought me here. Driving to work during the summer I heard this skater talk very well on the radio about the Olympics, how he was too old and supporting the next generation as they came through, was Mr McDonald and he did a great job I thought, great ambassador, the yellow helmet is iconic.
this is pure gold man honestly thanks andy and those who put the work in to the skateparks and also vert ramps.
So stoked to have come across this. A little slice of heaven in the Highlands of Scotland...
100%!!! andy is such ab ambassador and still killing it in to his 50's!
That's no the Highlands
@@adamaitken1228 the vert ramp was technically in the highlands mate
@swibwi aye my bad lol hadn't got to that bit yet. I'll show myself out haha
@@adamaitken1228 all good enjoy
as a Scottish 23 year old who has loved skating my full life, i might not skate anymore but i love everything about the sport and keep upto date with everything, this is awesome to see him here, this honestly makes we want to skate again.
Definitely start again. It's a great way to stay fit when you get older and the longer you leave it the more you'll want to start again and the harder it'll be on your body. I started again a few months ago at 38 and I've been nursing a sore knee and ankle for the last month 😂. Any older folks thinking of getting back into or into it for the first time, do a lot of exercises and stretches focused on your tendons and joints, before a session, after a session and between sessions. It'll save you a lot of pain later
Awesome, my middle name is MacDonald and I was born in Dumfries. Skated Livi late 80s into the 90s. Welcome to Scotland Andy I still love irn bru.🤙🙂🏴
Aint no way Andy Mac is at my local...I wish it was in better condition for him to skate, definitely seen better days. Fs rock in big bowl in that muk is nuts! Did you enjoy the half pipes 50p shape?
Laughing Falling WWOOoos
He's a REAL Skater
This is LEGIT the JOY of SKATEBOARDING
what a nice guy and an inspiration at 51, all the best Andy always welcome in the UK
I have skated that place. It is no joke. And seeing the conditions and the crap at the bottom of the bowl, there is NO WAY I would have gone near it. Capn' 'Mac has bollocks of steel.
Andy is a true Livi Local at heart. At 4:49 this is called 'carve line', he enters and carves the exact spots on half pipe and comes out 'E'(escalator), this is one of the first things you learn as a local, he goes from 'escalator' to 'resi'(resevoir), but you can come straight escalator or more stairs(the slope that connects E and half pipe) to the flat instead of resi, and if you learn 'Livi line', the next step when you learn to acid drop, you acid drop half pipe instead of carve and you can get crazy air. Watch any 'Livi skateparty' video and you will see some wild shit go down from Livi line and 'Anti-Livi line'. Andy says 'this is a big part of skateboarding history' while doing the carve line, one of the most fundamental lines in the park, you can't make it up.
Coming from a street skateboarder, you are amazing, Andy, you are doing it, Keep on rocking dude, 💪💪💪
Your definitely in Scotland when there's an abandoned trolley in the background hahaha love it.
Yay! He came for a visit 👍👍
My Old G is from Castle douglas, good to hear that connection! ❤
So weird I’m watching this now. I’m binging a Scottish series called Shetland. Man Scotland is beautiful
I was there when Tony Hawk & the rest of the bones brigade came on tour to livi sk8 park ,it was something else that day ,Some great sk8in going on & obv Kenny olmand was there ,the old Livingston legend ,Great memories......🏴💯
Fair play that ramp looks sick and I've Skated Livvy✌️♥️
Nice to see Livi get the recognition it deserves! Next time, get Irn-Bru 1901, it’s the full sugar version and much more palatable😂
Nice one. I’m from Livi and I used to love going to the skate park. I was a rollerblader. I miss it.
This is the most rando thing I’ve seen in weeks! Go Andy! Keep Scotland Weird!
Welcome home!💙🏴
Quality video. You've definitely got the Scottish genetics in you 👍.
Welcome home, even if it's your 2nd. We've been waiting for you brother❤😂❤
Freezing is the only time its not raining here. Welcome 🤗
That was rad! We really need to get Livi jetwashed! It's desperately in need of a clean. That vert ramp looks the business.
Brilliant skated livi loads in the 80,s place rocks 🎉🎉
Scotland has some sick spots, glad you got to come experience our country. Lot's of decent parks up the east coast too 🤙🏼
Living Stone.💜
Dude just has a laugh that makes me laugh, such a joy 😂
Went to Edinburgh once years ago for a quick stop, long before I got back into skating. Adding this to my bucket list to visit.
Man I've NEVER as much as touched a skateboard in my life, but I'm Scottish and I have BIG RESPECT for ANYONE who comes half way around the world to pay us a visit here in Whiskey Central!
Welcome!
So Sláinte (Cheers!)
Wha's like us?
Wow 😍 i really enjoyed this video 😊 I haven't watched skateboarding much at all for a couple years. And this random youtube suggestion appeared... so it was a nice little treat.. 🎉 Thanks 🎉🎉🎉🎉 when I went there the apartment block wasn't there... and there was a diner style route66 carpark with a beautiful bush and trees that you just parked there and went through the bushes like alice in wonderland..
And I really liked that park. I'm sure I filmed it.... I had a good time there cruising around it was a lot cleaner!!!! I think the malicious Scottish SNP party ruined it on purpose 😂😢 must have been not long before they built that.
I never went to the vert. It would have been cool to see Andy go to the recumbent Stone circles or painter's cave 😂😊 as well. There are some super gnarly videos there of Scottish skaters doing nose grinds and things... the newer part of the park is cool.
The vert ramp was great.
I think I would like to learn airs on an 8ft or 9ft ramp though.
There was a great quarter pipe at broom in Leicester but it closed down ...
I wanted to skate the Bath vert. But they replaced it with a new park that I guess it's better really good but it's a shame they didn't keep the original vert ramp there.
Mount hawke was one of the last places I visited when I was still driving.
Thanks Andy Mcdonald ❤
That blunt 180 pop out rocked back in like from this Legend at 15:30 Hit me ..too clean
Incredible!
Thanks for the flashback. Did the trip from Southsea Skate Park to Livi back in 1988(ish). Took hours to get there and I fractured my wrist within the first hour.
This is the most Cretaceous breakfast I’ve seen since I was a teenager…..and you’re a legend for it Andy LOL he should hit that crazy diy park I think it’s in or near Glasgow can’t remember the name but Webz went there recently
Yooo!! Love this man. So proud to be from Livi! We shot a music video down there recently, grateful to be able to celebrate our wee town!
that song is a banger! Just went and listened to it from this comment
@@Ben_B_Artistahh yer too kind man! Thank you, LONG LIVE LIVI!
That gift shop saw you coming!! haha
Lovely vid!
Love it , great video..im an 80s skater...and my grandad was from scotland,,always wanted to go there..our name is Mckinney..he grew up in Edinburough and Glascow..and his family moved to dumbarton later on..Oneday imma go..idmlove to go skate this place..im 50 yrs old..close to andy age..
Amazing 👏
Awesome video!
I was so glad to grow up at that park.
love fact hes still very much skating love that dude
This is class
I travelled to Livi twice in my youth. It took about 4.5 hours to get there. First time I broke a kingpin skating across the carpark next to the park. Got to skate almost an hour that day in total. Second time I went, it rained as we arrived at the park and I slipped walking down the Andover and landed on my tailbone. Couldn't skate for about 3 weeks after that. Never went again. Respect to anyone who skates Livi 🤣
😢😮
I used to skate Livi back in the day. Been a long long time - I'm surprised it's still in such good condition...
it ain't, the camera doesn't really show how rough it is
Sick skating Andy 🤙
Super good🙌🙌🙌🙌 enjoyed this ❤
BMX and Eddie fiola and mike dominguez brought me here. Great park! I hope it's listed.
Early in the morning, freezing cold and bro's munching shortbread and throwing back Irn Bru in a park. He's Scottish alright!
The video I didn't know I needed. Scotland is honoured to call you one of it's own Andy.
Epic video. Irn bru
Blunt from this legend at 15:30 got me ..
Lol this is so random and awesome
Nice to see the obligatory shopping trolley make an appearance.
This is quality man so sick to see
It's interesting to hear that Livi held such a legendary status to skaters in the US. In the 80's in Scotland it really was the only option other than factory in Dundee or maybe a few other smaller spots from time to time. Bones Brigade visit was a huge deal and Tony Hawk killed it when he visited Livi.... he almost made the transfer from that hip to the small bowl which is mind bogglingly far..... can't remember if it was him but one of them laid down the mctwist in the bowl there. Shame the weather didn't warrant a full session for Andy's visit.
What a great Guy
Skating 8 am in the winter either in brittain, france or northern spain, before the sun touches the surfaces some hours later, not a good idea.
So sick 🎉
I was going to say "what a bad time of year to go to Scotland", but then I realized that's how it always is, regardless of the season.
Not true! Sometimes it rains, sometimes it snows 😂
Insert Ren's speech about the joys of Scotland from Trainspotting here...
Andy is a absolute legend been watching him for over 25 years, so happy he’s still killing it 💪
You need to try the old Bru ❤🎉😂it hurts on the inside 🤣 HA HA
just checking flights from Bristol (nearest airport to me) and its doable in a day, theres a bus from the airport to the park :) something to think about when its a bit warmer :)
The park is rough as dude, its a long way to travel for a rough ride imo, unless you are going to make a weekend of it and go to Saughton park or a couple other parks in Glasgow maybe also
@@dudemcdudeman5274 thats fair, i've just always wanted to visit, been reading about the park since the 80s in RAD etc :)
@@spinyuk Oh yeah I mean the park is great and If you have known about since then, then you would have heard good things, its legendary and crazy things have went down here, its also gnarly af every transition is its own beast, but its also rougher by the day and the condition hasn't been great the last decade or so, it could do with some repair but its difficult bc of its history.
If vert is what you’re interested in, Spit & Sawdust in Cardiff Wales has a good vert ramp, 11 ft tall and 32 ft wide!
@@VintageBalderdash maybe 30 years ago :D I'm more 'curbside' in Bristol these days :)
Yeah. Andy. Reminds me of the old eastern vert days. 😂🏆
Subscribed ✅
I remember Bones Brigade skating this back in the day! There are a couple of home movie recordings of it on here still. Place looked a lot better back then to be fair lol
Fuck Aye!! The Livi Skate Parties were S-Tier!!
hell yerrrrrrrrr lovely video """
Livi Skatepark is now designated as a listed structure at category B by Historic Environment Scotland, so as much as the local Council want to get rid of it now they have to attempt to maintain it
Livi is great. It was Mecca to everyone who skated in Scotland in the 80's and 90's. Kids these days don't know they're born!
Just kidding- psyched to see that vert ramp as well.
Great vid thanks buddy
He thought Livi was built after Del Mar closed? Bless him. Should have probably kept that bit out, Livi opened in 1981.
Lived just up the road from livi long time ago snapped my fake skyway tuff wheel there had to walk home 😂😂😊