HIGHLAND GAMES

PIVOT SERIES

SEPTEMBER 21, 2024

Each year in mid-September, all things Scottish descend upon Loon Mountain Resort for the NH SCOT Highland Games and Festival. Attendees are treated to clans, Celtic music, contests of strength and lots of kilts. The amount and variety of activities, as well as the spectacular scenery offered by the vantage point of the resort, makes this an event to be enjoyed as often as possible. This year marked my third time, and it did not disappoint. It was my first time attending the day events solo which gave me a chance to go at my own pace, do whatever I wanted to do, and mingle freely with others. A wonderful experience if I do say so! Here’s how my day went:

9:30 AM – departed for Loon Mountain Resort

10:00 AM – parked in one of the shuttle bus lots (The Whale’s Tale). Waited and talked with an ever-growing group of other attendees. Many were dressed in traditional Scottish clothing. One performer (a bagpiper) fretted that his no-iron kilt was in need of ironing. Some were wondering if they were dressed warmly enough. A debate about whether our shuttle bus was going to be yellow or blue ensued.

10:30 AM – we boarded a blue shuttle bus. As the bus filled with people, one family with small children who had brought enough baggage for a 5-day trip, realized they were not going to fit on the bus. They disembarked, presumably to decide if they were going to lighten the load by getting rid of baggage or people.

11:00 AM – After getting off the bus and walking through the entrance of the resort, we arrive at the gate, show our tickets and grab a program of the day’s events. And we are off.

11:30 AM – I arrive at the Whisky & Spirits Tasting tent. My separately purchased ticket allows for a two-hour window during which I can sample up to eight (?) various whiskies (there were no other spirits and I really didn’t count the tickets – or if I did, I don’t remember). There were about six distributors there and each distributor had around four types of products to choose from. Here’s the thing: I’m not a huge fan of whisky. When I do drink it, it is usually mixed with something a little sweet to make it more palatable for my taste.  I know, whisky purists are cringing…. So when I found out that there weren’t any other spirits but whisky, I actually thought of aborting the mission. But seeing as I’m the Thirsty Traveler, I decided to bear any scrutiny about my drinking habits and forge on.  Perhaps there was something I would like. And there was: the company. The distributors were great.  While most didn’t have anything sweet to offer, they did have water on hand to temper the whisky for me. One company, 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit, had the foresight to bring along a cordial they make, Alpenglow, which they mixed with 10th Mountain Rye Whiskey. That cocktail, along with Angels Envy Rum Cask Finished Rye Whiskey 100 Proof, were my favorites.

I also enjoyed my time conversing with other tasters. Although they seemed to be more enthusiastic and knowledgeable about whisky than I was, no one poked fun. We discussed our love of the White Mountain area and our escape from the rat race. Before I knew it, it was well past my time to still be in the tent. There was a whole lot of the Highland Games and Festival to explore, and it was high time time to get to it.

1:30 PM – I made my way over to one of the food service tents to get some Scottish Stew and then headed to the concert tent to see Syr, a favorite Celtic Folk Rock band. They always put on a good show. They blew into their bagpipes while I blew onto my steaming meat and potato dish. I watched the lead singer and the bass guitar player move around the stage and thrash their heads back and forth while managing to belt out those long, complex, high pitched sounds. The fiddle and percussion musicians played tirelessly with an energetic blur of motion. Most of the audience was moved to motion with them.

2:30 PM – I had been standing since I arrived and my leg, still recovering from knee surgery, needed a rest. A perfect excuse to head over to the Athletic Field to watch some heavy throwing events. On the way to the field, I caught a pipe band from Manchester, CT doing their thing and lingered for a while before heading on. They were a large group all wearing matching green tartan kilts, black knee socks and black vests over long sleeve, light blue button-down shirts. They played outside in a circle with the the bass drum and a few bagpipers in the middle.

3:00 PM – Respite at the fields. While the competitors worked up a sweat, I was enjoying some quiet time in the sun. Taking place at that time were the men’s Stone Put and the women’s Weight Over Bar events. The men lifted bolders from the ground and threw them as far as they could. The distance was then calculated using a tape measure. The women lifted what appeared to be kettle weights with one arm, worked up momentum by spinning around with that weighted arm outstretched, then let it fly upwards towards the overhead bar with the goal of clearing it. Each level in the game gets harder until they have a winner. The men pick up larger rocks and the bar the women have to clear with the weight gets higher.  I may have taken a short nap. Watching all that throwing and lifting wore me out.

4:15 PM – Found myself at the Governor’s Lodge to quench my thirst and check out fiddler Cynthia MacLeod. There is something a bit mesmerizing about watching a fiddler. Their whole upper body is often forced to move with the instrument causing melodic swaying during slow pieces and convulsions during the fast ones. The dancing of Cynthia’s long hair and her evident enjoyment for playing enhanced the visual effect. It was impossible not to clap along.

5:00 PM –  A quick walk around some of the vending booths then boarded the shuttle bus to retrieve the car to retrieve my husband. We were to return later tonight to see a Celtic rock concert featuring the bands Albannach and Skerryvore.

7:00 PM – In the concert tent with a Scottish Ale, ready to enjoy the last of the NHScot Highland Games and Festival this year. I was familiar with Albannach, having seen them before at the festival. The music has a strong, haunting sound reminiscent of Viking movie soundtracks.

The percussionists play their instruments loud and fast, as if inspiring warriors. The band also includes a didgeridoo musician. A didgeridoo is a long wind instrument which makes a distinctive drone and most associated with Aboriginal peoples of Australia. It is all very captivating.  Skerryvore was new to me and very much enjoyed.

Their music was a bit more mainstream. Unlike the music of Albannach, most of this Celtic rock band’s songs have lyrics. Their upbeat songs make you want to dance, and their ballads make you pine for a Scotland that you never knew.

9:00 PM – We bid farewell to the Scots till next year.