ORIGIN OF THE HIGHLAND GAMES

Scotland in the early days was ever a warlike nation.  If the Scots were not fighting someone else, they were fighting amongst themselves.   Indeed, some of the bloodiest parts of Caledonian history recalls the feuds between clans.  Probably the most fabled among these is the tragic story of Glencoe, where the Campbells rose in the night and murdered their hosts, the MacDonalds.

Clan chiefs had to be ever alert to the threat from others and the need to keep his men sharp and battle practised.  Presumably to stop them knocking lumps out of each other, "games" or "competitions" were organised to allow these warriors to test their strength and fitness against each other.

Over time these events were gathered together, forming the first "Highland Games" where clans could eventually compete in marginally less warlike situations.

Today's Highland Games are much more civilised, of course, although the echoes of history remain, particularly in the heavyweight events.

Tossing the Caber
Throwing the 56lb weight over the bar
Putting the Shot
Throwing the Hammer
Throwing the Weight for distance
Highland Dancing