Harpenden Highland Gathering

[Chas]

On Sunday the 12th of July, I visited the Harpenden Highland Gathering. I had only ever been to one other Gathering or Highland Games and that was in Hawich, so this second one had a lot to live up to.



They use a clever ploy - cheap, discounted or free entrance and then make their money on food and drinks. It certainly works as the people were flocking in.

I arrived well before the official start time but they let me in because I was wearing a kilt; the stalls were setting up already.



There are always vast numbers of highland dancers for the competition, so they start as soon as the first arrive.



Soon after opening time, no more than 1/2 hour. The dancing stage, above is seen on the far left here.



I pitied the poor piper, he had to play the same tune over and over and over again so it fair for each set of competitors.



Here's the St Albans Band. They played a whole medley of Scottish tunes that are usually played on the pipes. Different - not better, just different. Note the young critic, lower right.



There was a group of re-enactors (I don't quite know how to describe them) who represented the Black Watch at the time of Waterloo. They are about 75 in number. On Sunday they were double booked, so we go a smaller contingent. They marched from the main road into the park a few times before the start of the day - a kind of mobile advertisement.




The little old Drummer is in fact a little old lady.




More to come - Massed Bands and Opening Ceremony

[ChubRock]

Nice photos. Have any of the delicious food sold by vendors?

[Chas]

The Massed Bands and Opening Ceremony

There was the Harpenden Pipe Band

The Bedford Pipe Band

The Milton Keynes Pipe Band

and as a special treat the Somme Battlefield Pipe Band - more of them later.

On with the pictures:

Harpenden lead as they were the host band.





Followed by Bedford.






And then Milton Keynes.





Only allowed 10 pictures per post - So, more to come

[Chas]

Nice photos. Have any of the delicious food sold by vendors?

I had something called a 'Steak-wich'. The taste was divine - it must have come from a very happy cow. I also had something new to me 'frozen yoghurt' - real fruit, puréed in frozen yoghurt. What can I tell you - they were so good, I had 3 during the day.

Regards

Chas

[GMan]

Wonderful shots.

[Chas]

The forth and last pipe band - The Somme Battlefield Pipe Band

These are all French people from a small village, Peronne, near the Somme. You will notice that they all wear different uniforms. In fact they are the uniforms of the Scottish regiments that fought at the Somme. Some of you will know the tartans better than me - one of the Gordon Kilts is an actual kilt worn by the bandsman's grandfather at the Somme.








All the bands now lined up and the Gathering officially opened by the Mayor of Harpenden







The bands move off the field. CLICK TO VIEW




That's our 10 - More to come

[Chas]

Last band leaving the field



Next Up - The Black Watch



The Black Watch gave a rousing display of drill manoeuvres with live firing. That took every body by surprise.






I was really impressed with their rate of fire. They did a lot of charging at the crowds with fixed bayonets. There was one casualty - a 25 year old male fainted when they charged in his direction. He was revived by his girlfriend, so no damage done.






More to come

[MacKay71]

Great pics and videos!

[Chas]

A Sheepdog display - well a chickendog display really

The shepherds have trained their sheepdogs to herd anything. They couldn't get a herd of cattle in the arena so they used a small flock of geese instead. (I missed this because I was watching the hammer throwing (sorry.)) But I got pictures of next bit the chicken herding.

The dog, waiting for the release of the chicken.



The chicken.



Dog and chicken eye to eye.



The chicken backs down and runs back to the safety of the hutch.



It might not look like much to you, but it was pretty dramatic at the time.

The Band Ring

Off the main arena there was a band ring for each band to give an individual performance. Milton Keynes with their jackets off - it was a hot day.




Note the belts through the belt loops.



This is the most animated drummer I have ever seen - how she never killed all those around her I will never know!



More to Come

[Highlander31]

Great photos Chas. Looks like a beautiful day for the games.