Tour Scotland Video Throwing The Hammer Highland Games Blairgowrie Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of the Throwing The Hammer event at the Blairgowrie Highland Games in Bogles Field, Essendy Road, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland. A round metal ball, weighing 16 or 22 lb for men is attached to the end of a shaft about 4 feet in length and made out of wood. With the feet in a fixed position, the hammer is whirled about one's head and thrown for distance over the shoulder. Hammer throwers sometimes employ specially designed footwear with flat blades to dig into the turf to maintain their balance and resist the centrifugal forces of the implement as it is whirled about the head. This substantially increases the distance attainable in the throw.

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

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Tour Scotland Video Pibroch Bagpipes Highland Games Blairgowrie Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of a Piper playing Pibroch music at the Blairgowrie Highland Games in Bogles Field, Essendy Road, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland. Pibroch. Piob, Peeb, means Pipe; Piobaire, Peebair, means Piper; and Piobaireachd, Peeb-air-och with three syllables, means pipe playing pipe music. Many people simplify the pronunciation by saying Peebrock, probably from the spelling Pibroch which is seen in some Light music and songs. Though more accurately titled Ceol Mor, Cowal More, meaning Big, or Great, Music, the classical music of the Great Highland Bagpipe is commonly referred to as Piobaireachd. This is the music that summoned the clans to battle, celebrated sweet victory and terrible loss, commemorated murder and lamented the deaths of their chiefs and heroes.

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

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Tour Scotland Video Lone Piper Playing Bagpipes Highland Games Blairgowrie Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of a lone Piper playing bagpipes music at the Blairgowrie Highland Games in Bogles Field, Essendy Road, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland. This fine young man plays for West Lothians Schools Pipe Band and played when Queen Elizabeth officially opened the Queensferry Crossing road bridge on September 4, 2017.

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

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Tour Scotland Video Strongman Kenny Simm Lifting The Ardblair Stones Highland Games Blairgowrie Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of Scottish Strongman Kenny Simm from East Lothian lifting the Ardblair Stones at the Blairgowrie Highland Games in Bogles Field, Essendy Road, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland. The Ardblair Stones are nine reinforced concrete spheres ranging in weight from 18 to 152kg which is 40 to 335lbs. The Ardblair Stones Challenge involves lifting the stones sequentially from lightest to heaviest onto whisky butts which are 132cm or 52 inches in height). The event is judged on both time and the number of stones successfully completed.

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

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Old Photograph Lovat Arms and Station Hotel Fort Augustus Scotland

Old photograph of the Lovat Arms and Station Hotel in Fort Augustus, Highlands, Scotland. In the aftermath of the Jacobite rising in 1715, General Wade built a fort, taking from 1729 until 1742, which was named after the Duke of Cumberland. Wade had planned to build a town around the new barracks and call it Wadesburgh. The settlement grew, and eventually took the name of this fort. The fort was captured by the Jacobites led by Bonnie Prince Charlie in April 1745, just prior to the Battle of Culloden. In 1867, the fort was sold to the Lovat family, and in 1876 they passed the site and land to the Benedictine order. The monks established Fort Augustus Abbey and later a school. The school operated until 1993. The Caledonian Canal connecting Fort William to Inverness passes through Fort Augustus in a dramatic series of locks stepping down to Loch Ness.



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

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