Ballater Highland Games, Monaltrie Park, Scotland

Every year during the summer months, Highland Games takes place around Scotland in small towns and villages across the country. Highland Games is a unique combination of culture, sport and social entertainment and can feature traditional heavy athletics such as caber tossing and stone put, Highland dancing, pipe bands and more. The Braemar Gathering in Aberdeenshire is even attended by the Royal Family every year.

I thought that it would be fun to let the kids experience the Highland Games during our holidays in Scotland last year, so I searched and found that the Ballater Highland Games would be on during our visit. Furthermore, Ballater was only about 1 hour leisurely drive from Aberdeen, perfect :)

The Ballater Highland Games are held annually on the second Thursday in August in Monaltrie Park, Ballater and in 2015, the Games will be held on Thursday 13th August. The Ballater Highland Games has been held in Ballater since 1864, so when we were there last year, it was their 150th anniversary.

The highlight of the day for us was getting to see the Duke & Duchess of Rothesay (Prince Charles and Camilla) upclose.  It was the first time in the history of the games that the royal family attended the Ballater Highland Games. Lucky us! :)

There is a car park right next to the games, and admission charge to the Games is £7 per adult and £2 per child. There is limited seating around the field, so its first come first serve. Some of the events you can find here at Ballater Highland Games are highland fling, sword dance, piping, track events, and heavy athletics. There is also a fun fair, beer tent, trade stalls and food stalls. The combined pipe bands were particularly good to watch. Overall, an eye-opening experience for our kids and a fun day out for the whole family.

A venison burger

Freshly fried donuts.. yum

One of the games at the fun fair... win or lose, you get a prize

Baby D's new friend... Haggis ;)

Photos with random men in kilts ;P

*Highland Games is usually held from May to September. See here for dates.

Ballater Highland Games starts from 10am onwards.

Location: Ballater Highland Games, Monaltrie Park, Provost Craig Road, Ballater, AB35 5NN, Scotland. 

Website: http://www.ballaterhighlandgames.com/index.html

GPS Coordinates: 57.050959, -3.040680


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