Gourock Highland Games - Sunday

My goodness we’ve been blessed with lovely weather! Today was just as nice a yesterday, with crystal blue skies and fluffy white clouds. There was a brisk breeze, which made it nice even in the sun. Kinda perfect!

We made good use of the day, heading to Gourock for the first Highland Games of the summer. Good timing on our part, even though it was accidental.

They have Highland Games all over the U.S., but we’ve never been to one. This one was held at a very large park right on the Firth of Clyde, providing a perfect, tranquil background.

The event was free, and open to all, including a heck of a lot of well-behaved dogs. It was super wholesome, which I am oddly attracted to. Just tons of people of all ages who devote a lot of time to being good pipers and drummers and dancers. Not to mention the amount of time the heavies spend in the gym to build up enough muscle to toss a telephone pole end over end!

I am absolutely gaga for a good pipe and drum corps, and every one today was top-notch. There were at least forty of them, and the breeze was carrying the strains of their efforts from the moment we got off the train until we got back on it. Somehow, I didn’t hear a sour note in over four hours. How was that possible?

 

We watched and listened to a lot of bands, caught a bit of dancing, and hung out in the heavies area for much longer than we thought we would. Watching big, burly guys heft a stone or a weight over a barrier didn’t sound like something I’d enjoy, but it was fascinating.

Very young girls doing a sword danc

I can’t think it’s a good idea to pick up a massive rock and run with it, but it’s hard to turn away when guys are doing it. Unfortunately all of our pictures of this event were movies so you'll just have to imagine a guy in a kilt running along with a huge stone the shape of an egg and the size of a giant pumpkin.

We stayed later than we’d planned because we couldn’t leave before they tossed the caber. 

Carrying the Caber

Caber Toss

Hefting a 48 pound weight over the high bar

The winner of all the events

The pole was almost twenty feet long and weighed 175 pounds, yet these guys could pick it up, balance it to secure it, then throw it so that it fell end over end. Only two of the guys managed to get it to flip, the last one making a little boy in front of me squeal with glee. It was that kind of day. One where everyone cheered on all of the participants with what seemed like genuine good will.

People were having a grand time. There was a beer tent that was well attended and some families were even grilling on the rocky beach.

Yes - that is a tin foil grill

Perhaps the most surprising part of the day was when all of us tried to jam on the train at the end of the day, with many of us having to stand the whole way. No complaining! I was gobsmacked! Luckily we got seats.

We grabbed dinner on the way home, and are now watching the BAFTA awards. I’ll never complain about the Emmys again <s>.

Off to Aberdeen in the morning!

SXM and CDN