One day a year, the Scottish village of Kenmore hosts its Highland Games festival -- and our tour group was lucky enough to be there, mixing it up with the locals enjoying an amazing Scottish scene...perfectly through the Back Door. The open field (just a short walk from our hotel) was filled with families having a delightful day out watching tug-of-wars, little kids' sprints, gunnysack races, bands of marching pipers, and Highland dancing. While the girls impatiently and anxiously awaited their time with the bagpiper on stage, the big boys took turns tossing big things: Stones, hammers, and the caber (a log the size of a small telephone pole) were sent end-over-end to the delight of those gathered.
Many travel all the way to Scotland to see the big clan gatherings and the famous Highland Games events. But twice, I've come upon small-town games, which are very charming. You simply donate £5 (about $7.50) and join the local scene. Here's a peek at the Kenmore games, just two hours north of Edinburgh.
I'm well into our Best of Scotland bus tour, and I think the best couple of hours so far has been the Kenmore Highland Games. Here's a compilation of my favorite clips showing all the fun. In small-town games, everyone plays. It's fun for all -- young, old, tourists, and locals.