Highland life

After a fine week of sunshine and beaches, I am taking the family out for the day to the Dufftown Highland Games. Nestled in the foothills of the Cairngorms and heavily sponsored by the whisky industry, this promises to be a great family day out.

I am encouraging the women (two big, two small) to ensure we can leave by 10.30 so can be there for 11.30-ish. The "gathering" goes on until after 6pm when pipe bands conclude the event. There is method in my madness. I have been to these events before and what usually happens is that you rush around the various side-shows and stalls, exhausting all the marketing freebies in the process and then the family (women) become quickly tired of watching hammer throwing, highland dancing and caber tossing. At this point they usually mention the "home" word. I have been disappointed in the past to have left early but will swallow it today.

If my planning is right, that will mean we will be passing through Elgin shortly after 2pm where I can handover driving responsibilities and get myself in to see City play Cowdenbeath in the Challenge Cup. OK, so it's not the Withdean but it would be my first competitive match of the season and it's not a friendly.