Strength, Spirit And Survival

A unique blend of athletics and tradition, the Highland Games face an uncertain future

- MORAG LINDSAY

PICTURE a Highland Games in full flow. The kilted heavies, the nimble grace of the dancers, the skirl of the pipes and the buzz of the beer tent. It's hard to conjure a more stirring symbol of Scotland's history and traditions, but what place do gatherings like these have in its present day? As their numbers dwindle, what hope do they have of surviving into the future?

Ask the organisers, competitors and followers who flock to these summer spectacles in their thousands, and they'll say “plenty”. They'll tell you that their value runs deeper than the £25 million a year they contribute to the economy.

There’s community cohesion, athletic prowess, civic and cultural pride, and even glimmers of diversity to be found around the games field. And beyond the caber-tossing and the tug-o'-war, there's an army of volunteers putting in a Herculean effort to keep all that alive.

“Christmas in July” is how Craig Dunbar describes his local games in Alva.

Founded in 1845, they are the last surviving sports and games to be held in Clackmannanshire. On July 12 this year, the former mill town’s population will once again be swelled by returning students, far-flung family members and international visitors as the annual programme of athletics, cycling, Highland dancing, heavyweights and hill races unfolds.

It’s a day when scores are settled, friendships are forged, slates are wiped clean and memories are made. And, in communities like Alva, where busy, modern lifestyles mean fragmented social bonds, that's a tradition worth fighting for.