Glen Urquhart Highland Gathering and Games 2023: Enjoy a day of Highland culture and competition
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The 76th Glen Urquhart Highland Gathering and Games take place on Saturday, August 26 at Blairbeg Park, Drumnadrochit.
Visitors can look forward to a colourful spectacle of Highland tradition, culture and competition including the ever-popular Heavies, Highland dancing, the annual hill race, mini Highland Games for the wee ones, and the rousing skirl of pipes and drums.
Games committee chairman, Russell Fraser, said they were thrilled to be holding the 76th event: “We are excited to have competitors travelling from across the globe to our event and the anticipation is building to see whether any of the Heavies can beat the Games records set by Scott Hutchison, USA, in 2022! The committee were proud to host a strong field of Ladies Heavies in 2022 and hope to see many of them return this year.
“For the first time we will have a big screen at the games, to provide greater audience information. Thanks go to all our sponsors and volunteers who allowed us to implement this new feature. We would love to see some local businesses submit an entry into the tug of war competition and enjoy a fabulous family day out.
“The Games encompass the entire community and it is all of them that make it happen. The committee would like to pay a special welcome to all our new volunteers for 2023, who are vital to the future of our event. Having volunteered at our Games for over 50 years, we are honoured to have Ken Fraser, Glen Urquhart, as our 2023 Chieftain.
“The committee and community extend an open welcome to everyone, be it their first or 76th Games ‒ a friendly Highland welcome awaits everyone.”
Glen Challenge gets the Games started
A highlight of the Games is the Glen Challenge ‒ a competition for walkers, runners and cyclists starting at Corrimony Bridge and following a route through the spectacular Glen Urquhart countryside towards Loch Ness. Start times are staggered with walkers heading off first from 9.30am. The challenge concludes with a final lap around the Games field cheered on by the crowds and pipes.
The festivities get underway from 10.45am with the Loch Ness Pipes and Drums and local organisations parade.
At 11am, the local events (for participants from the local area), junior visitor races, and senior and junior piping events begin. The local events feature the traditional Heavies including tossing the caber and throwing the hammer. The athletics events include relay races, high jump, long jump and sprints. For those under eight years old there is the 80m race, bean bag and obstacle races. The junior visitor events are for those ineligible to compete in the local events and visiting adults can compete in the open competitions in the afternoon.
Piping is always a highlight of the Games with senior, junior and open competitions in the March, Strathspey & Reel, Jig and Piobaireachd.
Black Dragon Scotland is returning this year with its exciting display of martial arts and techniques at 11.30am.
The first competitors in the Glen Challenge are expected back in the arena at around 11.45am before the local Highland dancers start their display at 12.15pm.
The first trophy presentation of the day commences at 12.30pm with prizes and medals for the winners of the local events and participants in the Glen Challenge.
Also at 12.30pm is the mini Highland Games which are always great fun for wee ones and the young at heart with splat the haggis and welly hurling among the hotly contested events!
An afternoon of culture and competition
The official opening to the Games starts at 1pm with the rousing skirl of the pipe bands, before the afternoon competitions start at 1.30pm including the open track and field events, Heavies and Highland dancing displays, with the chanter and under-13 piping events at 2pm.
The popular tug of war is always a fiercely contested ‘best of three’ affair for the competing teams. The first pull is at 2.20pm.
Throughout the afternoon there will be pipes and drums displays at 2.30pm, 3.30pm and at 4.30pm.
A highlight of the Games is the annual Achmony Hill Race at 3pm. This fun but fast and furious 3km race starts in the Games arena, around the track, then along the A82, up (and down!) Achmony Hill and back to the arena. There is pride and prizes at stake here with the Mackenzie Challenge Cup, the Margaret C Fraser Memorial Challenge Cup for the first female finisher, the Nora Mackay Memorial Challenge Cup going to the first local, and the Glen Urquhart Highland Games Quaich presented to the first local juvenile (over 16 and under 19).
From 4.15pm, watch in awe at the feats of strength displayed by competitors as they attempt to toss the caber in one of the most anticipated events at the Games.
The afternoon trophy presentations take place at 4.40pm before the Games draw to a close in traditional Highland style with the Auld Scottish Race where kilts must be worn to complete one lap of the Games arena!
For entry to the Games, visitors are asked to please bring cash, as card payment is limited. There is free parking on the day.
For all the latest Games news visit www.glenurquhart-highland-games.co.uk and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lochnessgames/
