ALL roads lead to Wallsgreen Park in Bowhill this Sunday as the climax to this year’s Highland Games season takes place.

Bowhill Highland Games brings the curtain down on a year which has seen record crowds flocking back to the events after an absence through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chairperson, Don Campbell, who is also the national games circuit’s handicapper, has been up and down the country this summer, and over the border as well, as a host of events have taken place.

Lochgelly man Don told the Times: “Crowds and competitors are up this year the length and breadth of the country, and the early indications are that Bowhill Highland Games will provide the perfect climax to the season.

“On the track many of the competitors are chasing ‘Points for Leagues’, in the running, cycling and heavy events and it looks like we are heading for a ‘Helicopter Saturday Scenario’.

“Because we were able to put on and revive Bowhill Highland Games last year, after a 69-year gap, the potential for the crowd and competitors was there for all to see and it is shown in the increase of entries and enquiries we have had.

“One outstanding example of this being we had contact after last year’s games from a lady from Canada, Marg Johnson (nee Wallace).

“She left Bowhill in the mid-50s and emigrated to Canada and continued her Highland dancing over there and became one of the biggest names in Highland dancing worldwide.

“Her company is recognised within the Highland dancing world, and Marg and her family arrive this Thursday, in Scotland, to attend and sponsor the Highland dancing events at Bowhill!”

Don added: “We have had enquiries from visitors from America and Australia asking, ‘How do we get to Bowhill Highland Games?’.

“We have added solo piping to our programme this year and Bowhill Pipe Major, Greig Canning, and Greg Wilson, have put together a competition second to none and our piping judge is none other than Jimmy Banks (MBE) from Bowhill.

“We have added more stalls this year and a bouncy castle and teacups for the kids outside the ring, plus we also have plenty of fun races for children and adults within our track programme.

“Included in that is the inter-schools relay race and it all adds up to a very busy, great day out.”

Don concluded: “Our games continue to grow as a ‘spectacle’ but just as important our games grow as a ‘Gathering’, ‘A Highland Gathering’, ‘A Coming Home’ when folks from past and present, far and wide, can meet and greet and relive old memories and create new memories.”

Events Schedule:

The solo piping starts at 10.00am, with the Highland dancing getting underway at 11.00am.

Then at 11.20am there will be a laying of a wreath at the village war memorial and at 11.25am the laying of a wreath at the memorial at the Bowhill Cemetery remembering those who died in the Bowhill Pit Disaster in 1931.

At 11.30am, the parade will start from Bowhill Cemetery, led by Lochgelly High School Band Pipe Band and Pipe Major Greig Canning.