Itinerary followed throughout Scotland

Stirling - Linlithgow - Edinburgh - Oban - Glencoe - Fort William - Eilean Donan - Skye Island - Plockton - Strathpeffer Highland Games - Loch Ness - Inverness - Western Ross - Fort George - Glasgow

The road leading from Plockton is spectacular and indescribable . You can imagine the ancient inhabitants running through pastures and desert hills.
The Highlands are an indispensable and compulsory destination if you come to Scotland, due to the landscapes, the history and the folklore.

The Highland Games are celebrated during summer at some villages of Scotland. They last for one day and the date is different depending on each village. We tried to make our trip coincide with one of these events, in Strathpeffer. The most famous are those from Braemar and even the English queen attends.

So we drove into a huge well organized grass esplanade. A row of hundreds of chairs are displayed forming a square that surrounds the playground where the competitions and performances have place. Around the playground there are many stands to eat or to go shopping. It is an authentic event for Scottish people. There were entire families enjoying the sunny day we had. If you want to know about the Scottish traditions and culture this is one of the most indicated spots.

Many people wear the Scottish costume. Among the clothes the most outstanding is the kilt (the skirt). Where does this clothe come from?

In the Celtic society the social unity was the clan. The Gaelic word "clann" means "children". At the beginning the clan was formed by the family, and the sons carried the surname "Mac" (meaning "son of"). With the time the concept broadened and everyone that accepted the authority of the clan's chief could belong to it. The wars between clans were very common. The clans wore a cloth, the tartan, that could be distinguished from the other clans by the print and the colours. This attire was improved and the cloth rolled up around the waist (the first kilt) with the surplus over the left shoulder. The inhabitants of the south plains considered the kilts a clothing of barbarians. After the Jacobite's defeat in 1746 they banned it, but 40 years later the punishment was lifted, and the kilt became the national costume and symbol. A curiosity, under the kilt they don't wear any other garments. The knife inside the sock and the small leather bag are the usual complements.

There are multiple games where both amateur and professionals can participate. We saw men races, cycling races (very hard since the surface is grass), height jump and long jump. There is also a contest of pipers and traditional dance (only for women).

A band of pipers and drummers covers the esplanade every certain time (see video 4 MB). There are Celtic orchestras and Briton dances. And in addition you have all the main competitions, that consist on different throw competitions where only the men (some of them professionals) dressed with the kilt participate.

Many of the objects they throw resembles the Olympic Games, but they present differences and some are amazing, such as the famous trunk throw (called Cabber Toss). The participants place vertically on their hands the 6 m. high and 60 kg. weight trunk and they have to throw it the highest and the trunk must touch with the superior edge the ground. It is spectacular.