Highland Games for Corporate Teams

Highland Games for Corporate Teams: What Makes Them Work So Well

Picture a Highland village on a summer afternoon. The pipes are warming up somewhere off in the distance; a small crowd has gathered round a burly athlete squaring up to a caber that is clearly bigger than they are, and the smell of stovies is in the air. 

Someone is heckling. Someone else is filming. The caber goes up, wobbles and lands sideways. Everyone cheers anyway.

This is the Highland Games, and people have been doing some version of it for centuries.

Here’s the thing most people miss when they first encounter a Highland Games as a corporate team-building option. It looks like a novelty. A bit of Scottish theming, a few welly throws, maybe a kilt for the photos. But the format itself, the actual shape of the event, is brilliantly designed. It does three things at once that great team building needs to do, and it does them better than almost anything else we run.

We’ve spent years putting our own version of this together and the more we run them, the more convinced we are that the magic isn’t in the activities. It’s in the architecture.

The hidden architecture of the Highland Games

When we map a Highland Games against what makes corporate team building actually work, the same three pillars come up every time. 

• Individual challenge.
• Team competition.
• Collective celebration.

Most corporate events try to engineer one of those three things and end up missing the others. The Highland Games delivers all three by default, because it was designed to.

What a corporate Highland Games actually looks like

A typical event includes a rotation of stations: caber toss (a slightly more manageable caber than the originals, in fairness), welly whang (or throw), putting the stane (shot put), haggis hurling, tug of war, piping and drumming workshops, archery and axe-throwing…

Teams move between stations earning points, with a few comedy events thrown in to keep things light. Our hosts run the show, judge the events, and keep the energy up. Kit and equipment are all ours.

You can theme your event as heavily or as lightly as you like. Some of our clients want the full experience: a piper at the start, tartan sashes for the team captains and a haggis presentation at the close. Others want it kept understated. Either way works.

For international visitors and locals alike, this thing is gold. We’ve run Highland Games for groups from around the globe and local Scottish companies and the reaction is consistently some of the best feedback we get. It gives international clients a genuine taste of Scotland in a few hours that they remember for years and reminds local clients how awesome a Scottish-themed event really is!

Short on time or space? The mini Highland Games

Not every group has half a day, or your event venue might not have suitable outdoor space for a spectacular Highland Games arena. For teams working to a tighter schedule, we also run a mini Highland Games: focussing on 4 Fun Field activities of Caber, Shot, Welly Whang and Haggis Hurl with a Tug of War finale condensed into a session that still hits all three pillars above but comfortably fits into an hour or two. Same DNA, shorter run time.

Scaleable Packages & Upgrades

On top of the Mini Highland Games, we offer a variety of packages to suit a variety of budgets and group sizes or a bespoke menu to scale up or swap activities around to create your own unique itinerary, with plenty of upgrades available.

• Clan Chieftain: Our Games Chieftain will host and compere your event, keeping guests informed and providing amusing commentary peppered with historical context and anecdotes. 
• Piping & Drumming Workshops: Guests are allowed to play the pipes and learn some beats on the drums. Guests would also be regaled with a history of piping, bagpipe making and the different styles of pipes found throughout the world. Can be hosted as separate workshops. 
• Falconry: A wonderful, educational and interactive demonstration of the magnificent flying and hunting skills of a variety of birds. In the session, the falconer will demonstrate the power, skill and grace of different birds of prey and will invite guests to participate in flying the birds.
• Highland Heavies: Invite professional Scottish athletes along to your Highland Games to demonstrate how to toss the caber, put the stane and throw a hammer. These guys are man-mountains who will not only provide your guests with the history of the games but also get involved with the clans during the Fun Field activities.
• Archery: During this session, the instructors will show the team members how to hold the bow and perfect their aim. Each team member will get a practice run before the competition heats up and scores are collected.
• Axe-Throwing:  Learn the best technique of axe throwing as our instructors demonstrate the best way to hold and throw the axe. After some practice shots, you will be invited to take part in some friendly competition to see who can perfect their aim and score the highest points.
• Ceilidh Band & Dancers: A great alternative finale to have a mass ceilidh dance complete with live band, dancers in full highland regalia and a ceilidh caller to guide everyone through a few reels.
• Laser Clays: If you want something with even more of a challenge, why not try an activity with a moving target? This activity will not only test your aim but also your reactive abilities and force participants to slow down and concentrate. 
• Dogs ‘n’ Ducks: An impressive demonstration of the agility of the Scottish Border Collie working in partnership with the shepherd. However, rather than gathering sheep, we use Indian Runner Ducks complete with amusing obstacles! 
• Gun Dog Demo: Our expert Charlie will demonstrate the ins & outs of gundog training before providing guests with the opportunity to take part. Accompanied by around 12 dogs from 8 weeks to 8 years of age, the session will cover the different dogs and training aspects. 
• Carpet Curling: Traditionally played in the winter months on the frozen lochs of Scotland and has featured in every Winter Olympics since 1998, with teams competing from around the world. We bring you our authentic indoor alternative to the ice rink-based version that can be played all year round!
• Clansmen & Weapons: Meet some Scottish warriors and learn about ancient weapons like swords and shields 
• Tartan & Plaid Workshop: Learn more about tartan and the kilt with the chance to wear traditional ancient kilts.
• Whisky or Gin Tasting: Taste a selection of single or malt whisky blends, whilst listening and learning from our expert. Interested in Gin instead? With our wide selection of flavors and botanicals, there is something for everyone. 
• Additional Theming: All our highland games include theming, including whisky barrels, rustic signage, St Andrew’s Saltire Bunting, Shields, Flags and kilted staff. Lots of opportunities to upgrade this with medieval style tents or stretch tents, fire pits and torches, horses, highland cows and additional props.

Need to stay indoors? The Braveheart Games

Scottish weather does not always play along, and not every venue has outdoor space to work with. For those groups we offer the Braveheart Games, our indoor adaptation. The events adapt to the room: lawn curling stands in for the traditional throws. The rest of the line-up is scaled down to work in a hotel ballroom or conference space, including Stag Head or Castle Hoopla, Scottish Rugby Bucket Ball, Sporran Spinning. Further upgrades include musical, whisky or tartan workshops. The perfect way to a proper taste of Highland Games energy indoors, all year round.

Who it works for, and when to choose it

The honest answer is that the Highland Games format, in whichever version, is one of the most flexible things we offer.

The full Highland Games works particularly well for team away days that need a clear focal point, summer socials that want to feel different to last year’s, and large company events with multiple teams who don’t usually mix. If time or space is tighter, the mini version keeps the same energy in a shorter window. If you need to stay indoors, the Braveheart Games covers you there. Any of the three works well for events with international visitors who want to experience something distinctly Scottish.

The full version works less well as a quick 45-minute energiser; it needs room to breathe. Give it two or three hours and a closing celebration, and it pays you back tenfold. That’s exactly the gap the mini format is built to fill.

If you’re weighing it up against other formats, the question to ask is, ‘Do I want my team to compete, collaborate, and celebrate in one event?’

If the answer is yes, this is a strong shout.

Plan your Highland Games Today

Curious about how a Highland Games might work for your team? We’ve been running them for years and never get tired of it. Tell us a bit about your group and your venue, and we’ll come back with what’s possible. Get in touch today to talk it over with our event creators!

FAQs

What is a Highland Games event?

A Highland Games event is a corporate, scalable version of the traditional Scottish Highland Games. It keeps the format (a mix of individual challenges, team events, and a closing celebration) but adapts the kit, the activities, and the timings to work for any group size, venue, or fitness level.

What’s the difference between the full, mini, and Braveheart Highland Games?

The full Highland Games is our flagship outdoor format: a rotation of activities, built around a session of two to three hours. The mini Highland Games condenses that down to 90 minutes for groups short on time. The Braveheart Games is our indoor adaptation, using games like carpet curling in place of the traditional throws, for groups who need to stay under a roof.

What activities are usually included in a corporate Highland Games event?

Most events feature a rotation of stations including caber toss, shot put, welly whang, haggis hurling, and tug of war, with other upgrades like archery, axe throwing, piping and drumming also available. The exact mix depends on the format, the venue, and the group.

Can a Highland Games event be held indoors or in bad weather?

Yes! Our Braveheart Games is a dedicated indoor adaptation, using scaled-down kit and modified events like lawn curling. A wet forecast doesn’t have to mean a cancelled day.

How many people can take part in a Highland Games event?

The format scales well. We’ve run Highland Games for groups of 20 and groups of 200. Larger groups work in team rotations across multiple stations.

Do you need to be fit or sporty to enjoy a Highland Games?

Not at all. The format is designed to include everyone, and the kit is adapted to be challenging without being intimidating. Some of the best moments come from people who’d never describe themselves as sporty.