Hosted at the southern end of Loch Lomond in Balloch village, The Loch Lomond Highland Games is one of Scotland’s traditional highland games. The Loch Lomond Highland Games was launched by a local group of businessmen in 1967 with an initial expenditure of £500 to boost tourism in the local region of Balloch. Presently, the price has increased to more than £15,000.
Presently, The Loch Lomond Highland Games are one of the leading 3 Highland Games in Scotland hosting the eighty-meter Scottish Sprint Championship and Scottish Highland Games Association World Heavyweight Championships. The games also include three hundred and fifty competitors participating in other activities throughout the day including dancing, cycling, wrestling, athletics, piping, as well as the usual heavyweight events. Entry to the event costs £5.00 for adults, £3.00 for juveniles, £13.00 for families (two adults and three juveniles), and £3.00 for individuals above the age of 60.
Every year since 1967, Balloch plays host to traditional sports competitions, as well as impressive ceremonies and parades. Today, the Scottish Highland Games are hosted throughout Scotland as well as amonG Scottish concentrations in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and many more countries. The Scottish Highland Games are very popular and the demand for hotels usually increases during this period leading to price hikes. Therefore if you plan to attend the Scottish Highland Games, it is always a good idea to plan for your accommodation ahead of time since it can be quite difficult to find reasonably-priced accommodation once the games begin. Booking your accommodation early allows you to get the best rates and saves you a lot of money not to mention the hassle of looking for accommodation when most of the hotels in the area are fully booked. It is also recommended that you follow the area’s steward’s advice and pay attention to the parking regulations in and around the area (as parking around the Simm Associates is not allowed).
The traditional games include competitions that are unique to common global sports, with contests such as throwing rocks, iron balls, heavy hammers, boles, and much more. During The Loch Lomond Highland Games, you can hear beautiful music by the bagpipes that are likely to delight your ears. The event features colorful giant tents where visitors can relax and enjoy a wide selection of drinks including beer and whiskey. The Judges of the competition, as well as some of the competitors, wear a traditional Scottish attire known as the Kilt.
The peculiar competitions, the joy, the tents, and lots of whiskies create a special traditional atmosphere that provides the attendees with a very exciting experience. Some of the activities include the official SHGA Heavyweight Championship (56 lb weight for height, 28 lb wt for distance, 16 lb and 22 lb Hammer, and 16 lb and 22 lb Ball), the Scottish eighty-meter running championship, pipe band events at the national and local level, Tug o’ war, cycling, solo piping, highland dancing, and the Scottish Cumberland/Backhold Style Wrestling British Championship.
In 2019, the Loch Lomond Highland Games witnessed a record number of attendees. Over nine thousand people attended the games hosted in Moss Of Balloch. The crowds were entertained by dancers who performed traditional highland dances with their perfect hair and immaculate costumes. Visitors enjoyed music from Tulliallan drums and pipes and Helensburgh Clan Colquhoun. The Loch Lomond Highland Games hosted guests from as far afield as Canada and Germany to enjoy the traditional Scottish games. The games were also broadcasted to millions of people across China watching “Zhu’s life in Britain”, a Chinese travel program.