Let the GAMES begin! Attend the Scottish Highland Games

Attend the Scottish Highland Games by HOLLY BOWNE

Biceps bulge and calves strain as a brawny man sporting a kilt whirls a metal ball attached to a long, wooden handle overhead. He lets go and the ball flies through the air, landing with a thud down the field. This is the Scottish hammer throw, one of the traditional heavy events in the Scottish Highland Games.

The Highland games date back nearly a thousand years, when chieftains would gather their clansmen and hold competitions to select their best fighters and fastest couriers. Today, more than 80 Highland games take place throughout Scotland from May to September. They include soul-stirring music and dance performances, and fierce battles of strength, speed and the fighting arts.

Each gathering incorporates time-honored events such as the hammer throw, tug o’ war, stone put, weight throw and iconic caber toss – where competitors try tossing a full-length 175-lb. larch tree log so that it lands in a perfect 12 o’clock position. Yet the gatherings are also decidedly distinct from one another, reflecting the unique heritage of their locations. Here’s a look at what makes a few of these Scottish Highland Games so special.

Tug o' War

FACT: The Seann Tribuhas dance tells the story of the Highlander’s desire to shake off the hated “Sassenach” trousers that Scots were forced to wear when the kilt was prohibited after the 1745 Jacobite rebellion.

BIRNAM Highland Games In addition to traditional events, anyone over 18 can register in advance for the Birnam Highland Games’ quirky World Championship Haggis Eating Competition. Haggis is one of Scotland’s most popular dishes: a savory pudding made from meat, oatmeal, and spices. Competitors race to consume a pound of it in the quickest amount of time. Highland games competitions continue throughout the day. So, for a tranquil break you can stroll along the sparkling River Tay, or consider visiting the nearby Beatrix Potter Exhibition and Garden.

BRAEMAR Gathering In the quaint village of Braemar, population 400, the Braemar Gathering takes place amid the breathtaking Cairngorm Mountains. Awarded royal patronage by Queen Victoria in 1848, the gathering is still regularly attended by the reigning monarch. Her Majesty The Queen has attended since she was seven years old. Along with traditional events, the hotly contested Morrone hill race is not to be missed. The race spans approximately three miles and climbs 1,200 feet to five cairns visible on the horizon. After completing the brutal climb, runners race back down to complete a lap around the arena, mud-spattered legs flying as they finish opposite the Royal Pavilion.

Hammer Throw

Caber Toss

FACT: The Scottish Highland Games Association states that all competitors in open heavy events must wear a kilt when they compete.

Wrestling, Inveraray Highland Games

FACT: The games’ most iconic event, the caber toss, allegedly stemmed from the need to toss logs over chasms. Today however, the toss is judged on style rather than distance. F ACT: Games organizers often soak their cabers in a burn before the event to make them heavier, since they can dry out over time and lose some of their original weight.

CERES Highland Games Dating back more than 700 years, the Ceres Highland Games are the oldest free games in Scotland. It’s said that the original charter was granted to Ceres by Robert the Bruce in 1314, in celebration of their victory in the Battle of Bannockburn. Alongside the cheerful mix of traditional events held on the village green, this event hosts a “five-a-side” soccer competition each year. Visitors can also browse market stalls filled with locally made crafts and goods, and grab a bite to eat at the famous Games Burger Barbeque.

FACT: Highland dancing at the games was originally an all-male event, until the late 19th century when women started competing.

COWAL Highland Gathering As the world’s largest Highland games, the Cowal Highland Gathering is a three-day event that attracts some 3,500 competitors. Watch dancers perform the graceful pre-war Sword Dance, Seann Tribuhas and lively Highland Fling, as they compete for the World Highland Dancing Championships. Listen to the rousing tunes of pipers as they challenge each other for the coveted Argyll Shield, donated in 1906 by Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll. And marvel as Scotland’s strongest men and women compete for the country’s only international heavy athletics championship – including one of the biggest caber tosses in the games circuit. Immerse yourself in Highland culture by joining in the lively ceilidh – a Scottish form of country dancing – the night before the games.

To book your trip to the Scottish Highlands, please contact your Ensemble Travel ®

Group Advisor.

Highland Dancing Loch Lomond Cycling

CRIEFF Highland Gathering With its unique blend of bustling country town and unrivaled Perthshire scenery, the Crieff Highland Gathering offers a bespoke games experience. The Earl of Strathearn, Prince William, is the Gathering’s Royal Chieftan. He’s easy to spot with his honorary balmoral bonnet sporting two eagles’ feathers according to Highland clan tradition. Don a kilt and join the “Tartan Dash” kilt race through town. Pipers pipe and crowds cheer as you get your fastest mile time, dropping about 50 meters in altitude from race start to finish. This gathering also hosts the prestigious Scottish Professional and Native Heavyweight Championships. If you attend this gathering, bring along your dancing shoes because the Glenturret Music Tent showcases top Scottish and international music acts.

LOCH LOMOND Highland Games The bonnie banks of the loch provide a picturesque setting for the Loch Lomond Highland Games. Before cheering crowds, games participants take part in traditional events and the prestigious Scottish Highland Games Association World Heavyweight Championship along with a challenging cycle race over rugged woodland terrain. You’ll also witness the intensely adversarial form of wrestling known as the Scottish Backhold Cumberland Style Championships.

Isle of Skye Sailing Regatta

Pipe Band

ISLE OF SKYE Highland Games The heather-clad moorlands, jagged mountains and glittering lochs of the Isle of Skye offer a Highland landscape like no other. These games date back to 1877, and are one of the only games in Scotland to feature a sailing regatta. A fleet of yachts navigate around the gorgeous Portree Bay as quickly as possible to win the Vice Admiral’s Cup. And because Skye is renowned for piping, visitors will also enjoy music from the most talented pipers in the world.