Tour Scotland Video Throwing The Hammer Highland Games Newburgh Fife

Tour Scotland video of throwing the hammer at the Highland Games at Robbie's Park, Scotland Terrace, Newburgh, on ancestry visit to Fife, Scotland. The hammer evolved from its early informal origins to become part of the Scottish Highland games in the late 18th century, where the original version of the event is still contested today. It is believed that, like many Highland games events, the origin of the hammer throw is tied to a prohibition by King Edward I of England against Scotsmen possessing weapons during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland Video Throwing The Weight Highland Games Newburgh Fife

Tour Scotland video of throwing the weight at the Highland Games at Robbie's Park, Scotland Terrace, Newburgh, on ancestry visit to Fife, Scotland. In the Highland Games, the weight throw consists of two separate events, the light weight and the heavy weight. In both cases, the implement consists of a steel or lead weight, often spherical or cylindrical, attached by a short chain to a metal handle. The handle may be a d-ring, a triangle or a ring. The size of the weight depends on the class of the competition. For advanced male athletes, the light weight is 28 lb, or two stones. The heavy weight is 56 lb. For all female athletes, the weights are 14 and 28 lbs. The weight is thrown one-handed from a rectangular area behind a toe board or trig. The athlete must stay behind the trig at all times during the throw. The techniques vary, but usually involve a turning or spinning motion to increase momentum before the release. Each athlete gets three attempts, with places determined by the best throw.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland Video Sprint Races Highland Games Newburgh Fife

Tour Scotland video of 90 metres Sprint races at the Highland Games at Robbie's Park, Scotland Terrace, Newburgh, on ancestry visit to Fife, Scotland. It is reported in numerous Highland games programs, that King Malcolm III of Scotland, in the 11th century, summoned contestants to a foot race to the summit of Craig Choinnich, overlooking Braemar. King Malcolm created this foot race in order to find the fastest runner in the land to be his royal messenger. Some have seen this apocryphal event to be the origin of today's modern Highland games. There is a document from 1703 summoning the clan of the Laird of Grant, Clan Grant. They were to arrive wearing Highland coats and " also with gun, sword, pistol and dirk ". From this letter, it is believed that the competitions would have included feats of arms. However, the modern Highland games are largely a Victorian invention, developed after the Highland Clearances.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland Video Cycle Race Highland Games Newburgh Fife

Tour Scotland video of a cycle race at the Highland Games at Robbie's Park, Scotland Terrace, Newburgh, on ancestry visit to Fife, Scotland. One of the lesser known cycling disciplines is grass track racing which happens regularly throughout the summer at various Highland Games events around Scotland. The first Highland Games of the year that features grass track racing is Blackford, but Tayside and Fife have an abundance of games throughout the summer which include bike races. Races are often run on a 400 metre lap and several different races take place, usually culminating in a Deil tak the hindmost” showdown. This a frantic multi lap sprint where the last rider across the line each lap is withdrawn from the race until the final three fight it out for the top places.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland Video Colonel James Gardiner Grave Graveyard Carriden Bo'ness West Lothian

Tour Scotland video of the Colonel James Gardiner gravestone in the old graveyard at Carriden on ancestry visit to Bo'ness in West Lothian, Scotland. James, born 10th of January 1687, died, 21st September 1745, was a Scottish soldier who fought in the British Army, including during the 1745 Jacobite rising. He was born at Carriden, educated in Linlithgow, and joined the army at the age of fourteen. He served with distinction in several battles and was promoted through the ranks to Colonel in 1743. Gardiner was known as a rake in his youth, but had a religious experience in 1719 and became a devout convert. In 1726 he married Frances Erskine, daughter to the ninth Earl of Buchan; five of their thirteen children survived to adulthood. During the Battle of Ramillies he was shot through the mouth and nearly killed by a French soldier who had returned to plunder the dead. However, Gardiner was spared after being mistaken for a French soldier. At the Battle of Prestonpans he was mortally wounded by the Highlanders after his dragoons had fled the field and he was attempting to rally some footsoldiers. He received a mortal blow whilst wounded on the ground and was stripped to the waist as his possessions were looted by the Highlanders. After the battle Gardiner was carried from the field by a servant to nearby Tranent where he soon died. By a quirk of fate Gardiner lived close to the battlefield in Bankton House. " A brave soldier and a devout Christian. I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith "

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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