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. 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
having connections to Scotland.
The weeks for the events listed here
are when the games are normaly held,
check the websites to confirm the
dates.
Click on the PostCodes for Maps and
Reviews.
Official Highland
Games / The Big Seven
|
Braemar
Gathering 57 miles west of
Aberdeen/ September 1st week. The
Gathering is world famous for
friendship and hospitality at our Park
beneath the encircling heather clad
hills. Has attracted spectators of
about 20,000 including Royalty.
Website
. RS
Page . AB35
5YX
|
Bridge of Allan Highland Games
by Stirling/ August 1st week. 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
4QP
|
Burntisland
Highland Games 21 miles north of
Edinburgh/ July 3rd week. The second
oldest games in the world dating back
to 1652. The market day tradition is
kept alive as a large number of market
traders use the town for the day with
crowds of 50,000 in 2004. A summer
fairground is also normally at
Burntisland during the summer
months.
Website
. RS Page . KY3
9AH
|
Cowal Highland
Gathering Dunoon/34 miles west
of Glasgow/August 4th week. 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. The event regularly attracts
over 20,000 spectators. Phone number
01369 703 206.
Website .
UDS
Page . PA23
7DT
|
Loch Lomond
Highland Games Balloch/27 miles
northwest of Glasgow/ July 3rd week.
The Games began in 1967 after a group
of local businessmen set out to promote
the area and games. Now 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
8SW
|
Lonach
Gathering Strathdon 45 miles
west of Aberdeen/ August 4th week.
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.
Phone number 01339 741 098.
Website . Postcode: AB36
8UL
|
North Berwick
Highland Games 28 miles east of
Edinburgh/ August 1st week. The Games
attract considerable support from the
local community and more and more
visitors each year, 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
|
Abernethy Highland
Games Nethybridge 30 miles
southeast of Inverness/ August 2nd
week. Dancing, piping, field &
track events, and the fun morning
programme for children that have become
popular, a must for families. Close to
the end of the programme, the tug
o’ war is popular for
“Nethy Bridge Trophy”, and
serious prize money.
Website
. Postcode: PH25
3DA
|
|
Aboyne Highland
Games 30 miles southwest of
Aberdeen/ August 1st week. The village
of Aboyne is situated in Royal Deeside
with the village being laid out in 1676
around the large village green, where
the now famous Highland Games are held
annually, attracting visitors from all
over the world.
Website
. UDS
Page . AB34
|
|
Airth Highland
Games 8 miles southeast of
Stirling/ July 4th week. These games go
back to 1871, or as 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
8JF
|
|
Argyllshire
Gathering and The Oban Games
Oban/ August 4th week. Oban is the
place to be when the highland games
take place with Track and Field events,
as well as Dancing and Piping with many
competitions for Scottish championship
and World championship titles.
Website
. RS
Page . PA34
5NZ
|
|
Bathgate & West
Lothian Highland Games 26 miles
west of Edinburgh/ May 4th week. The
games take place at Meadow Park,
Bathgate and has done so since 1973.
The games have a pipe band contest,
solo piping, highland dancing, hill
race and heavy athletics. Bathgate is
21 miles west of Edinburgh, 28 miles
east of Glasgow.
Website
. UDS
Page . EH48
2AB
|
|
Bearsden and
Milngavie Highland Games 5 miles
northwest of Gasgow/ June 2nd week.
These Games regularly attract over
10,000 visitors with a great Scottish
day out for family, tourists, sports
people, shoppers and funseekers.
Website
. UDS
Page . G62
6AQ
|
|
Birnam Highland
Games 13 miles north of Perth/
August 4th week. Traditional Games in
stunning Perthshire scenery, held since
1864, come and experience for yourself
the fun and culture in these popular
Games. Situated about 60 miles north of
Edinburgh, 70 miles north of
Glasgow.
Website
. UDS
Page . PH8
0BG
|
|
Bute Highland
Games Island of Bute/Rothesay/
August 3rd week. Getting to this scenic
island is by dependable regular ferry
crossings from Wemyss Bay on the north
Ayrshire coast (road and rail) and take
the Cal Mac ferry to Rothesay.
Website
. RS Page . PA20
0
|
|
Callander Highland
Games 16 miles northwest of
Stirling/ July 4th week. 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
|
|
Ceres Highland
Games 8 miles west of St
Andrews/ June 4th week. 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. Situated 15 miles south of
Dundee, 43 miles north of
Edinburgh.
Website . UDS
Page . Map
|
|
Crieff Highland
Gathering 17 miles west of
Perth/ August 3rd week. The first
Crieff Highland Gathering took place in
1870 and every year since accept the
years around the two world wars of
1914-18 and 1939-49.
Website . RS Page . PH7
3AN
|
|
Cupar Highland
Games 9 miles west of St
Andrews/ June 2nd week. The Games are
an ‘Open’ event under
Scottish Games Association rules and
are in the F.H.G.A. circuits. Situated
44 miles north of Edinburgh.
Website . UDS
Page . KY15
5AS
|
|
Drumtochty Highland
Games 9 miles west of
Montrose/Aberdeenshire/ June 4th week.
The Auchenblae and the Drumtochty
Highland Games have top competitors
with records broken. Held in the
grounds of Drumtochty Castle, 2 miles
outside Auchenblae.
UDS Page . Postcode: AB30
1TP
|
|
Dufftown Highland
Games 52 miles northwest of
Aberdeen July 4th week. Light and Heavy
Events, Massed Pipe Bands and Highland
Dancing. Amature athletes can take part
without affecting their status.
Enquiries are welcome. Situated 52
miles west of Aberdeen, 61 miles east
of Inverness.
Website . RS Page . AB55
4AS
|
|
Dundonald
Games 4 miles northeast of Troon
in Ayrshire/ August 2nd week. At Royal
Dundonald Castle in Ayrshire for Pipe
Band Contest, Solo Piping Contest,
Strathspey and Reel, Highland Dancing
and Heavy Events. Entertainment from 12
noon, free entry. Situated 12 miles
northeast of Ayr.
Website . UDS
Page . KA2
9DW
|
|
Forres Highland
Games 27 miles east of
Inverness/ July 1st week. One of
Scotland's oldest small towns, and
scenic. Forres in Moray is situated
just off the A96 about 27 miles east of
Inverness.
Website . RS Page . IV36
3ED
|
|
Glenurquhart
Highland Gathering and Games 18
miles south of Inverness/ August 4th
week. 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
6TX
|
|
Halkirk Highland
Games 6 miles south of
Thurso/north Highlands/ July 4th week.
Up to 5,000 visitors and locals visit
the village of Halkirk in Caithness
(pop. 1,000) for a day of traditional
Scottish sport. There are over 100
competitors, many being national or
world champions, challenging for
various championship titles.
Website . Postcode: KW12
6XN
|
|
Helmsdale Highland
Games 68 miles north of
Inverness north Highlands/ August 3rd
week. A traditional Highland fishing
village, an ideal base to explore
Sutherland. Situated at the mouth of
the River Helmsdale with a lot to offer
the visitor to this years Highland
Games.
Website . UDS
Page . KW8
6LQ
|
|
Inveraray Highland
Games 63 miles northwest of
Glasgow/ July 3rd week. Many events
where the skills in Piping, Highland
Dancing and Athletics are demonstrated
by experts from all over Great Britain.
Come along and get involved in one of
the events.
Website . RS Page . PA32
8UY
|
|
Inverness Highland
Games July 3rd week. Tulloch
Inverness Highland Games and World
Highland Games Championships are one of
Scotland's largest games, renowned for
the quality of the heavy event
competitions. Spectators normaly are
about 4000 - 6000.
Website . RS Page . IV1
1DX
|
|
Killin
International Highland Games 37
miles north of Stirling/ August 1st
week. Athletes from across the world
travel to Killin for the games held at
Breadalbane Park.
Website . RS Page . FK21
8UH
|
|
Lewis Highland
Games Isle of Lewis far
northeast/ July. At Tong, 3 miles north
of Stornoway, one of the major events
on the islands of the Outer Hebrides,
gaining its place on the world Highland
Games circuit.
Website . UDS
Page . HS1
2DR
|
|
Lochaber Highland
Games Fort William/ July 4th
week. Fort William is host to Lochaber
Highland Games held on the field at An
Aird with a great backdrop of Ben Nevis
and Cow Hill. Fort William is situated
65 miles southwest of Inverness, 103
miles north of Glasgow.
Website . Postcode: PH33
7LY
|
|
Lochcarron Highland
Games 62 miles west of Inverness
close to the Isle of Skye/ July 3rd
week. Referred to as The Friendly
Games, and held in beautiful Wester
Ross in the North West Highlands,
feature a traditional mix of heavy
events, track and field plus highland
dancing and piping displays
Website . UDS
Page . IV54
8YG
|
|
Mallaig and Morar
Highland Games 42 miles
northwest of Fort William/ August 1st
week. A small but very popular and
friendly games that attract a mixture
of local people and people from all
over the world including Canada,
Australia, America, as well as across
the U.K. and Europe. Mallaig is
situated 86 miles north of Oban, 104
miles southwest of Inverness.
Website . RS Page . PH41
4PU
|
|
Mull Highland
Games Tobermory on the Isle of
Mull 31 miles northwest of Oban/ July.
Held at Erray Park in Tobermory during
the month of July. Traditional Scottish
Highland Games.
Website . RS Page . PA75
6PR
|
|
Nairn Highland
Games 16 miles northeast of
Inverness/August 3rd week. One of the
largest amateur gatherings in the North
with thier first Games taking place in
1867.
Website . RS Page . IV12
4AU
|
|
Newburgh Highland
Games and Coble Boat Race 11
miles southeast of Perth/ June 3rd
week. The town of Newburgh is situated
in a picturesque setting on the south
bank of the Tay. The games take place
in the scenic Mugdrum Estate. The
Cobble Boat Race takes place on the
river Tay the night before.
UDS
Page . KY14
6DA
|
|
Newtonmore Highland
Games 45 miles south of
Inverness/ August 1st week. See the
spectacular sights of the Clan
Macpherson March to the Games. We
welcome clansmen from all parts of the
globe. Newtonmore is situated close to
the Cairngorm and Monadhliath
Mountains, near the resort of Aviemore
, some 70 miles north of Perth and 45
miles south of Inverness.
Website . RS Page . PH20
1DA
|
|
Peebles Highland
Games 22 miles south of
Edinburgh/ September. 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
8AJ
|
|
Shotts Highland
Games 22 miles east of Glasgow/
June 1st week. About forty pipe bands
play for the West of Scotland
Championship and over 100 dancers take
part in the Highland Dancing
competitions. Situated between Glasgow
and Edinburgh.
Website . Postcode: ML7
4JN
|
|
Skye Highland
Games Isle of Skye 120 miles
west of Inverness/August 1st week. The
Games at Portree feature Heavy Field
Events, Athletics, Piping, Highland
Dancing and Sailing, a single race for
all classes of yacht.
Website . RS Page . IV51
9EJ
|
|
Stirling Highland
Games/ July 2nd week. A great
day out for all the family with
something for everyone to experience.
Website . RS Page . FK8
|
|
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
|