Bathgate & West Lothian Highland Games

One of the Pipe Bands Competing

Taking place on the last Saturday in May in Bathgate's Meadow Park, Bathgate & West Lothian Highland Games plays host to a wide range of events including highland dancing, solo piping, pipe band and heavy athletics competitions plus many other sideshows and attractions.

Highland Dancing Putting the Stane Judges Conferring Balloon Art Drummers

The 36th annual games was staged on 31 May 2008: a bright, sunny early summer day where sun cream and ice cream were the order of the day, rather than the umbrellas and wet weather wear that had been more typical of the early part of the week. Indeed bad weather has plagued the history of the Bathgate & West Lothian Highland Games, so 2008 provided a refreshing change to the weather usually associated with this event.

Highland Gatherings more widely have a long history. The village of Ceres, in Fife, claims to hold the oldest gathering. After the battle of Bannockburn in 1314, the villagers were granted a day of celebration to mark the safe return of the village bowmen.

One of the Golden Lions Arriving

Judging the Pipe Majors' Competition

Attractions for Children

Spectators

Judging the Heavy Events

Assorted Stalls and Sideshows

Ringside Seats

The Bathgate & West Lothian Highland Games begins each year with the "Beating of the Retreat" through the streets of Bathgate, a ceremonial march which has its origins in ancient military custom, whereby a drummer would beat a "tattoo" as a call to soldiers to return to their quarters. The procedure of the Retreat varied between regiments, sometimes involving whole drum corps, or pipes and drums, marching around the garrison or the town wall. The Retreat acted like a curfew for the soldiers and sometimes for the local townspeople as well.

At the sound of the "tattoo" inn-keepers were required to stop serving beer: indeed the meaning of the word "tattoo" is thought to come from the Dutch "doe den tap toe" meaning "turn off the (beer) taps". Penalties were severe for any soldiers found breaking the curfew. In 1745, the Duke of Cumberland decreed that "Soldiers who take their arms out of the bell tents after Retreat are to suffer death".

Over time the Retreat became a spectacle to entertain the townspeople and to aid Army recruitment. Today, whilst the Retreat is still sounded in barracks across the country, its purpose is to mark the end of the working day, representing the "turning on of the beer" rather than turning it off. For the Games, the Retreat marks the official fanfare to the proceedings.

Dropping in at the start of the 2008 Games immediately following the official opening ceremony, was the Golden Lions Scottish Infantry freefall parachute display team. Members of the team are volunteers and all regular army soldiers of the Scottish Infantry based at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh. The team showed remarkable skill and accuracy as they left their aircraft at 7000 feet to perform various formation manoeuvres before making a spectacular landing in the centre of the display area.

Also represented around the arena were members of the Army, Royal Air Force and Navy, with interactive displays and recruitment teams on hand to talk about the role of the modern military. A range of stalls selling foodstuffs, clothes and toys, plus fairground games and children's rides ensured everyone was fed, watered and kept happy whatever their age or interest.

Bathgate has played host to the British Pipe Band Championships for 11 years and this year's competition started early, with bands getting in some last minute practice, in either the car park or around the perimeter of the showground, before taking their places in one of two judging rings at opposite ends of the main arena. Competition was fierce and included classes from one to four plus novice juveniles and drum majors' championships.

Heavy events, one of the most popular activities at Highland Gatherings, included putting the shot, putting the stane, throwing the 28lb weight, throwing the 16lb Scots hammer, throwing the 56lb weight for height and tossing the caber. The events drew a big crowd, all eager to see the competitors go head to head across the range of disciplines as they competed for the coveted title of Champion.

Highland dancing took place in a covered area away from the main arena and saw both juvenile and adult competitors in classes including Fling, Sword, Reel, Highland Laddie and Pas-de-Bas.

Finally, the afternoon saw the start of the annual Cairnpapple Hill race, run from Meadow Park to the top of Cairnpapple Hill and back. First prize was £40 and the Cairnpapple Cup. Other prizes included monetary rewards for second and third place, for first in the Over 50s and first Over 60s classes and handicap first and second places.

With so much to see and do, and with the weather being so kind, the 2008 Bathgate & West Lothian Highland Games proved a great day out for competitors and visitors alike.

Crowds Gathering Around the Display Ring