A list of Highland Games in Scotland
to Visit with Websites, Postcodes and
links to Reviews and Maps where
possible.
Highland
Games are mainly sporting events
that take place throughout the summer
in Scottish towns, May to September.
The origin of the games is thought to
have been from gatherings of Clans to
determine their top warriors. Today,
Highland Games are held throughout the
world, by families with connections to
Scotland.
Events are normally heavy lifting /
throwing, running, biking, highland
dance, tug o war, also with shopping,
food and drink stalls. Some Games allow
you to enter certain amateur
events.
The weeks for the events listed here
are when the games are normally held,
most on a Saturday or Sunday, although
there are a few on week days, check the
websites to confirm the dates.
Most websites have many large
images, and many Games start with a
Highland March with Pipes through the
Town to the events field, they just
have to be seen.
Click on the PostCodes for Maps and
Reviews.
Highland Games /
The Big Seven
|
Burntisland
Highland Games
July 3rd week, 21 miles north of
Edinburgh. The second oldest
games in the world dating back to 1652.
Crowds of 50,000 in 2004. A summer
fairground is also normally at
Burntisland during the summer
months.
Website
. RS Page . KY3
9EB
|
Loch Lomond
Highland Games
July 3rd week, at Balloch 27 miles
northwest of Glasgow. Claimed to be one
of the top three or four Highland games
in the country, with approximately
10-15,000 visitors each year.
Website .
RS
Page . G83
8LY
|
Bridge of Allan
Highland Games
August 1st week, by Stirling. One of Scotland's
top Highland Games attracting crowds of
between 10,000 and 15,000. The games
field is between Stirling Castle, The
Ochil Hills and the Wallace
Monument.
Website .
UDS
Page . FK9
4QY
|
North Berwick
Highland Games
August 1st week, 28 miles east of
Edinburgh. An attendance of 15,000 is
normal. Many visitors visit the
Highland Games and explore the seaside
town of North Berwick on the same
day.
Website
. RS Page . EH39
4AP
|
Cowal Highland
Gathering
August 4th week, Dunoon/34 miles west
of Glasgow. One of the largest
and most spectacular Highland
gatherings in the world with over 3,500
competitors, many from Scottish
Communities from Canada, USA,
Australia, New Zealand and South
Africa.
Website
. UDS
Page . PA23
7DT
|
Lonach
Gathering
August 4th week Saturday, Strathdon 45
miles west of Aberdeen. Often sees a crowd
of over 10,000 in Strathdon, a
traditional games, no parachutes, no
motorbikes, but often attracts Billy
Connolly, who has a home in the area,
and his showbiz friends.
Website . Postcode: AB36
8UX
|
Braemar
Gathering
September 1st week, 57 miles west of
Aberdeen. The Gathering is world
famous, has attracted spectators of
about 20,000 including Royalty. Website
has many large images.
Website
. RS
Page . AB35
5YX
|
Gourock Highland
Games
May 1st week, 28 miles west of Glasgow
at Battery Park in Gourock. Free entry.
Website . UDS
Page . PA16
7QG
|
Gordon Castle
Highland Games
May 2nd week, 49 miles east of
Inverness by the village of Fochabars.
Website . UDS
Page . IV32
7PQ
|
Helensburgh &
Lomond Highland Games
June 1st week, 33 miles northwest of
Glasgow. Began in 1889, started again
in 2008.
Website
. UDS
Page . G84
8JR
|
Ardrossan Highland
Games
June 2nd week, 35 miles southwest of
Glasgow on the Ayrshire coast with a
huge beach.
Website
. AS Page
. KA22
8AP
|
Bearsden and
Milngavie Highland Games
June 2nd week, 5 miles northwest of
Glasgow. These Games regularly attract
over 10,000 visitors.
Website
. UDS
Page . G62
6AQ
|
Cupar Highland
Games
June 2nd week, 9 miles west of St
Andrews 44 miles north of
Edinburgh.. The Games are an
‘Open’ event under Scottish
Games Association rules and are in the
F.H.G.A. circuits.
Website . UDS
Page . KY15
5DD
|
Aberdeen Highland
Games
June 3rd week, at Hazelhead Park on the
west side of Aberdeen. Traditional
Games with trade stalls, food, beer and
more.
Website
. RS Page . AB15
8BE
|
Newburgh Highland
Games and Coble Boat Race
June 3rd week, 11 miles southeast of
Perth. Check the website as
does not take place every year.
Website
. UDS
Page . KY14
6DA
|
Ceres Highland
Games
June 4th week, 8 miles west of St
Andrews 43 miles north of
Edinburgh. The oldest free games in
Scotland since the charter to hold the
Games was given to the people of the
village by Robert Bruce in 1314, for
their support at the battle of
Bannockburn.
Website . UDS
Page . KY15
5NQ
|
Drumtochty Highland
Games
June 4th week, 9 miles west of Montrose/Aberdeenshire . The
Auchenblae and the Drumtochty Highland
Games have top competitors with records
broken. Held in the grounds of
Drumtochty Castle, 2 miles outside
Auchenblae.
Website . Postcode: AB30
1TP
|
Forres Highland
Games
July 1st week, 27 miles east of
Inverness. One of Scotland's oldest
small towns.
Website . RS Page . IV36
3BT
|
Luss Highland
Games
July 1st week, 32 miles northwest of
Glasgow on the banks of Loch Lomond.
Website . RS Page . G83
8PA
|
Inveraray Highland
Games
July 3rd week, 63 miles northwest of
Glasgow. Held at Inveraray Castle a 10
minute walk from the Town
centre.
Website . RS Page . PA32
8UY
|
Inverness Highland
Games
July 3rd week, Tulloch Inverness
Highland Games are renowned for the
quality of the heavy event
competitions. Spectators normaly are
about 4000 - 6000. Held at Bught Park
on the south side of the City.
Website . RS Page . IV3
5SP
|
Lochcarron Highland
Games
July 3rd week, 62 miles west of
Inverness close to the Isle of Skye.
Held at Attadale Estate 6 miles round
the Loch from Lochcarron
village.
Website . UDS
Page . IV54
8YX
|
Mull Highland
Games
3rd week of July, Tobermory on the Isle
of Mull 31 miles northwest of Oban.
Held at Erray Park in Tobermory,
Traditional Scottish Highland Games.
Website . RS Page . PA75
6PR
|
Stonehaven Highland
Games
July 3rd week, 15 miles south of
Aberdeen in the grounds of Mackie
Academy.
Website . RS Page . AB39
3DF
|
Tomintoul Highland
Games
July 3rd week, 59 miles northwest of
Aberdeen, between Ballater and Grantown
on Spey on a real scenic Hill
Road. Tomintoul village is 1,132ft
above sea level.
Website . RS Page . AB37
9EX
|
Airth Highland
Games
July 4th week, 8 miles southeast of
Stirling. Legend states, they grew from
the games and sports played by Prince
James's rebel soldiers camping in Airth
in 1488, on their way to the battle of
Sauchieburn.
Website .
UDS
Page . FK2
8LD
|
Balquhidder
Highland Games
July 4th week, 37 miles west of Perth,
14 miles north of Callander. Balquhidder,
Lochearnhead and Strathyre Highland
Games are held at Lochearnhead village,
Rob Roy country.
Website
. FK19
8PR
|
Callander Highland
Games
July 4th week, 16 miles northwest of
Stirling. Don't miss the
grand opening parade so arrive early,
or come on Friday and stay overnight to
enjoy scenic Callander before the games
begin.
Website
. RS Page . FK57
|
Dufftown Highland
Games
July 4th week, 52 miles northwest of
Aberdeen 61 miles east of Inverness.
Website . RS Page . AB55
4AW
|
Durness Highland
Gathering
July 4th week, 104 miles northwest of
Inverness on the far north coast of
Scotland with some great beaches. Free
entry, just pay to enter an event.
Website . RS Page . IV27
4PN
|
Halkirk Highland
Games
July 4th week, 6 miles south of
Thurso/north Highlands. Up to
5,000 visitors and locals visit the
village of Halkirk in Caithness (pop.
1,000) for a day of traditional
Scottish sport.
Website . Postcode: KW12
6XA
|
St Andrews Highland
Games
July 4th week, 52 miles north of
Edinburgh in the famous Cathedral and
Golf town of St Andrews.
Website . RS Page . KY16
9SP
|
Lewis Highland
Games
July? Isle of Lewis far northeast. At
Tong, 3 miles north of Stornoway. There
seems to be no Website or information
for these games, may have stopped?
UDS
Page . HS1
2DR
|
Aberlour Highland
Games
August 1st week, in the Town centre 57
miles northwest of Aberdeen, 34 miles
northeast of Aviemore in Speyside
Whisky Distillery country.
Website
. RS Page . AB38
9QP
|
Aboyne Highland
Games
August 1st week, 30 miles southwest of
Aberdeen, with the village laid out in
1676 around the large village green,
where the Highland Games are held,
attracting visitors from all over the
world.
Website
. RS
Page . AB34
4WY
|
Dundonald
Games
August 1st week, 4 miles northeast of
Troon in Ayrshire, 12 miles north of
Ayr at Royal Dundonald Castle.
Website . AS Page
. KA2
9HD
|
Killin
International Highland Games
August 1st week, 37 miles northwest of
Stirling at Breadalbane Park in the
Town centre.
Website . RS Page . FK21
8UN
|
Mallaig and Morar
Highland Games
August 1st week, 42 miles northwest of
Fort William. A small friendly games
for locals and people from all over the
world.
Website . RS Page . PH41
4PU
|
Newtonmore Highland
Games
August 1st week, 45 miles south of
Inverness, 70 miles northwest of Perth.
See the spectacular sights of the Clan
Macpherson March to the Games.
Website . RS Page . PH20
1DA
|
Skye Highland
Games
August 1st week, Isle of Skye 120 miles
west of Inverness featuring Heavy Field
Events, Athletics, Piping, Highland
Dancing and Sailing, a single race for
all classes of yacht.
Website . RS Page . IV51
9EJ
|
Aberfeldy Highland
Games
August 2nd week, named the Atholl &
Breadalbane Agricultural Show and
Highland Gathering is at Wades Park
just over Wades Bridge, close to the
Town centre, 31 miles northwest of
Perth.
Website
. RS Page . PH15
2BP
|
Assynt / Lochinver
Highland Games
August 2nd week, at Culag Park in the
centre of Lochinver, 94 miles northwest
of Inverness, 36 miles north of
Ullapool, remote with amazing
scenery.
Website
. RS Page . IV27
4LE
|
Abernethy Highland
Games
August 2nd Saturday, Nethybridge 30
miles southeast of Inverness. Dancing,
piping, field & track events, and
the fun morning programme for
children.
Website
. Postcode: PH25
3DA
|
Ballater Highland
Games
August 2nd week, in the Town centre 42
miles west of Aberdeen, sometimes
visited by Royals as Balmoral Castle is
close by.
Website
. RS Page . AB35
5NN
|
Bute Highland
Games
August 3rd week, Island of
Bute/Rothesay. The Games Park is a 15
minute walk from the Ferry
Terminal.
Website .
RS
Page . PA20
9BS
|
Crieff Highland
Gathering
August 3rd week, 17 miles west of
Perth. The first Crieff Highland
Gathering took place in 1870.
Website . RS Page . PH7
3EH
|
Glenfinnan Highland
Gathering
Aug 3rd week, 16 miles west of Fort William. Fort
William is 65 miles southwest of
Inverness, 103 miles north of Glasgow.
Traditional Games in amazing
scenery.
Website . RS Page . PH37
4LT
|
Glenisla Highland
Games
Aug 3rd week, 30 miles northeast of
Perth in a remote area.
Website . DD8
5HU
|
Helmsdale Highland
Games
August 3rd week, 68 miles north of
Inverness north Highlands. A
traditional Highland fishing village
with a lot to offer the
visitor.
Website . UDS
Page . KW8
6HH
|
Nairn Highland
Games
August 3rd week, 16 miles northeast of
Inverness. One of the largest amateur
gatherings in the North with thier
first Games taking place in 1867.
Website . RS Page . IV12
4AU
|
Stirling Highland
Games
August 3rd week, on the east side of
Stirling often with around 8,000
visitors.
Website . RS Page . FK7
7UJ
|
Argyllshire
Gathering and The Oban Games
August 4th week. Track and Field
events, as well as Dancing and Piping
with many competitions for Scottish
championship and World championship
titles.
Website
. RS
Page . PA34
4EL
|
Birnam Highland
Games
August 4th week, 13 miles northwest of
Perth. Traditional Games in
stunning Perthshire scenery, held since
1864.
Website
. RS
Page . PH8
0AD
|
Glenurquhart
Highland Gathering and Games
August 4th week, 18 miles south of
Inverness. Traditional Games
at Blairbeg Park, beside Loch Ness at
the village of Drumnadrochit, where the
Loch Ness monster museum is situated
and monster hunt boat excursions depart
from.
Website . RS
Page . IV63
6UQ
|
Lonach Highland
Gathering
August 4th week, 41 miles west of
Aberdeen at the remote village of
Bellabeg.
Website . AB36
8UL
|
Strathardle
Highland Gathering
August 4th week, 30 miles north of
Perth at the village of Kirkmichael,
also with an Agricultural Show.
Website . PH10
7NS
|
Highland Games in
September
|
Blairgowrie &
Rattray Highland Games
September 1st week, 16 miles north of
Perth on the south side of Blairgowrie
town.
Website . RS
Page . PH10
6QU
|
Peebles Highland
Games
September 1st week, 22 miles south of
Edinburgh. The Games are among the top
non-championship events, providing a
more relaxed atmosphere close to the
end of the competition season.
Website . RS Page . EH45
8HE
|
Pitlochry Highland
Games
September 2nd week, 27 miles northwest
of Perth at the Recration Ground down
Ferry Road in the centre of Pitlochly
town.
Website . RS Page . PH16
5BU
|
Guides to most Scottish
Highland Games
Scotland's Highland
Games
Scottish Highland Games in Scotland, Caber
Tossing, results, Message board, News section
and Links.
www.albagames.co.uk.
Highland Games Inverness &
North
Highland Games by Edinburgh
Highland Games by Glasgow
|