New Hampshire Highland Games at Loon Mountain

We travelled north for a couple of hours to attend the first day (Friday the 18th 2009) of the New Hampshire Highland Games at Loon Mountain. What a thrill to enter the Governor's Lodge to the sounds of John Carmichael singing "Westering Home". We also heard, and saw, Malinky, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Albannach, and Brigadoons.

I did not take many pictures during the day but I have posted a few, along with one taken a few years ago of a solo piper who, late in the day, climbed onto a large rock in the middle of the river that flows near the games.

One of the more interesting "findings" was Clan Bell in the clan village, with their shirts that stated "Border Clans Can Be Beligerent". For those who are not aware, families such as Bell belonged to what are collectively known as "The Border Reivers." My maternal grandmother was a Robson, another of the Border Reiver families; one of the more notorious I might add. Anyway, over the past few days I have been wondering how many of the Highland Games or Clan Gatherings have a strong, if any, presence of representatives of the "Border Reivers".

At the back of the program was a coupon good for $15.00 off any two bottles of whisky with a total value of at least $50.00. Well, one of the illustrated bottles was Ardbeg's Supernova, and I thought "Schweet". Sadly, they have not had any for quite some time. :-( Nor do they have any Uigeadail or Airigh Nam Beist. I guess, until we return to Islay we will have to be content with the 10YO.