Highland Games are the perfect place to find some kilt inspiration. The games are where you will find hundreds of competitors taking part while wearing kilts, a true Scottish occasion.
But did you know that Highland Games never actually started in the Highlands? One of the earliest venues of the Highland Games was Fetteresso, which is located a few miles south of the Highlands.
Highland Games derived from when King Malcolm III was in search of a royal messenger. He called for men to race up Craig Choinnich, overlooking Braemar, this would test their suitability for the role. It is also believed that these events were used to find Scotland’s strongest men and test Scotland’s bravest soldiers.
Nowadays the Highland Games are a fun tradition rather than a quest for the strongest of men in Scotland and take place all over the world.
Events that are a part of the games link back to the original source of the games. Including heavy lifting competitions such as the caber toss, stone put, hammer throw and the weight throw among others. Pulling in the Scottish style, most men partaking in the Highland games wear kilts. These outfits don’t follow the typical formal dress as this wouldn’t be practical for athletic competitions. Instead, t-shirts and trainers are worn with kilts. These games are to show the strength of the participants, the caber toss for example entails the participants hoists and balances a long log of wood and then tossing the caber.
Athletic and heavy lifting competitions aren’t the only events that attract people to the Highland games. Music and dance are big parts of the Highland games. Included in the opening and closing ceremonies, there is a massing of pipe bands. 20+ pipers march and play together during these ceremonies which is a huge part of the games. Not only are the pipers a large part of entertainment at the games, but a large number of Highland games across the world also hold competitions for piping and drumming.
Are you taking part in a highland games? Check out of range of ex-hire kilts, perfect for sports games!
