Past Times

Gallery: Leaping back in time with 14 photos of Ballater Highland Games

1989 - Mark Parham, of Lumphanan, breaks the high jump record by clearing 6ft 1in.

By Kirstin Brown

August 13 2022, 6:00 am

August 13 2022, 6:00 am

Ballater Highland Games has been held since 1864- only interrupted by the war and Coronavirus.

The event includes Open Piping Competitions, Highland dancing and the hill race. There’s also a funfair to appeal to the children and various trade stands.

The Ballater Highland Games has been visited several times by Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, and competitors in the games have broken records as recently as 2019.

We have scouted our archives for photographs of the games through the years.

Do you recognise any of the familiar faces in the photographs below? Let us know in the comments.

A crowd of Highland dancers posing for a group photo at Ballater Highland Games — 1984 – All together for a souvenir picture are the Highland dancing competitors.

Two women Highland dancing — 1992 – Gillian White, of Banchory, and C Munawych, of Canada, right, in the adult open dance.

Five men playing tug o' war at the Ballater Highland Games — 1983- Never mind the heat – the Bells team, Fraserburgh, in action during the tug o’ war final.

A crowd of people watching the Highland games — 1986 – Engrossed spectators taking in all the action on the sidelines.

People running in the hill race at the Ballater Highland Games — 1979 – The hill race entrants at the games start off on their long slog round the course.

A crowd watching a man running as he is about to cross the finish line. — 1971 – The crowd is unaware that Glenrothes’ Ian Whyte is making record-breaking time in the hill race.

Highland dancers doing their routine in front of a piper playing at the Ballater Highland games — 1969 – Dancers Beth Buchanan, Elizabeth Smith and Billy Gibbon go through their steps.

A man in a kilt after tossing the caber at the Ballater Highland Games — 1980 – Alfie Bruce, from Tarland, makes the winning effort in the caber toss.

A man holding the silver Jubilee Cup after winning the hill race — 1983 – Victory in the hill race brought Clive Bell, of Forfar, the silver Jubilee Cup.

Two men holding up a trophy in celebration at the Ballater Highland Games — 1984 – Overall winner of the mile race, Forfar’s Clive Bell, left, and local winner Mike Grant, Braemar, celebrate.

A man in a wheelbarrow and the man pushing him getting soaked in water — 1986 – Barrow passenger Graham Sinclair and pusher Andrew Bain, both Ballater, are given a shower.

A man kneeling with a mattress leaning on his back to shield himself from the rain — 1980 – Nairn’s Hamish Davidson uses the high jump mattress as a makeshift umbrella.

Two young highland dancers sat under the stage to shelter from the rain at the Ballater Highland Games — 1980 – Dancers Lorraine Peggie, left, and Louise Jolly shelter under the stage after the heavens opened.

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