Highland games Scotland location question

[gazbot]

Hello the rabble,

Haven't yet been able to get up to any games this year but hoping to take my wife away for a star gazing weekend next year, what games are nearby to tye Dumfries and Galloway forrest "dark" park and when do they take place.

Looking forward to your suggestions and tips.

G

[tpa]

By definition you will not find a great Highland Games selection in the Lowlands. The closest ones I've found are the Galloway Country Fair in Dumfries and the Carrick Lowland Games in Ayrshire.

There are several in the Glasgow area:
The Helensburgh and Lomond Games
The Loch Lomond and Balloch Games
The Carmunnock Games.

I cannot vouch for the size or content of any of these gatherings, maybe someone else can comment; but I found them here, which is a link to this years events. It may be updated or a similar one started for next years programme, either way it gives you a start to your research.

[Hawk]

The games at Loch Lomond (Luss) are done for this year.....

Hawk

[Calgacus]

Hi Gazbot,

Exactly what time of year were you planning on making this trip? You should be aware that during June and July the hours of darkness are rather short at these latitudes and you may not see any stars at all!

[gazbot]

Thank you folks for your replies. It will be next year. I would be after a games with some good piping and areas to listen to the practices as at Bridge of Allan. And also a fair ground to keep the family happy.

As for the time of year. I thought that June and July would give me the clearest skies? I am happy to stay up into the wee small hours to view the darkest sky, however I will bow down to supperior knowledge. What time of year is best for star gazing this time of year? If June and July are out then so be it I will have to plan another trip to the games!


Looking forward to more replies.


All the best

[Calgacus]

Firstly, I should say that clear skies are never guaranteed in Scotland, but I'm sure you knew that anyway!

On the other hand, clear skies can occur at any time of the year, and the clearest are actually often in winter. I have lain outside in the frost & snow in the middle of winter in the mountains for hours gazing up at the countless stars. The cold weather makes the water vapour freeze and drop out of the air, leading to the clearest skies. Such weather combinations are not common however, so I suggest that unless you are very hard core and willing to take a big, big chance, winter is best avoided!

The few weeks either side of midsummer are not the best time either because the nights are short and at these latitudes the sky stays light in the north throughout the night and tends to wash out the stars. Galloway is a little bit south of here, but not so much as to really make a difference, I think. At midsummer it gets 'dark' around 11pm and gets light again at about 3am. Now that it's early August, it's getting dark about 9:30pm and light at maybe 4:30am or so. For example, today sunrise is 5:12am and sunset 9:18pm here in Aberdeen. By late September it will be getting dark at about 8pm and light at 6am. It's only over the last week or so that I've noticed seeing the stars again, though I haven't been staying up in the wee small hours, so I dare say they've been visible before now.

Therefore, if you want to catch some games, plus see some stars, I'd hazard a guess that August is maybe the optimum time, whilst July might work for you as well.

It's a matter of what your priorities are, and landing lucky with the weather!

You may wish to contact (and maybe even visit?) Mills Observatory, the public observatory in Dundee. They will be able to advise you better than me on the dates that stars can best be seen. Details & contact info here:-

http://www.leisureandculturedundee.com/mills

[Jock Scot]

As an example this picture was taken at 0150 on July 2nd(not this year) just a tad North of the Great Glen. Not a good light, or weather conditions, for star gazing, I would have thought. The nearest habitation would be many miles away, so no "light polution" problems though!

[Tristan]

Try the Scottish highland Games Association events web site....fills in all the gaps! Go to Cowal you know you want to!!