The present day Games at Braemar are held in an arena framed by mountains and feature highland versions of familiar track and field sports dating back to the early 19th century.

There are many who believe sport in Braemar can trace its origins even further back almost a thousand years to the Scottish King Malcolm. It might even have drawn some inspiration from the Ancient Olympic Games in Greece. Certainly by the 16th century the poet John Taylor mentioned "Olympian Games and Highland Games" in one of his verses, almost in the same breath.

The sporting event sprung from a Highland Society founded in the wake of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Originally it was designed to alleviate suffering in local communities. In time it became responsible for the organisation of sporting Games and in 1848 Queen Victoria paid a visit.

"When Queen Victoria came for the first time, the whole thing mushroomed from then on," John Duff, a long-serving former President of the Braemar Royal Highland Society, said. 

The enthusiasm of the young Queen was decisive. She even invited competitors to the new Royal estate at nearby Balmoral.

The early Games shared a philosophy with those established in the Shropshire Village of Much Wenlock and the Zappas Olympic Games in Greece.

Both had a strong cultural element and Braemar was no different. In 1842, there were prizes given for the translation and reading of Gaelic texts. The cultural connection continues. Today there are competitions in highland dance. Categories include the highland fling, sword dance, highland lilt, an Irish jig and even a hornpipe. There are also contests for for playing the Bagpipes. Massed bands parade with traditional music in honour of the Queen.

The Games take almost a year to plan.

"The burden always falls on the secretary," said Duff. "When one finishes he will have a couple of weeks of holiday and then he will start getting ready for the next one."

A succession of British Monarchs have supported the Games and Queen Elizabeth II has become the longest serving patron. In fact, she might even be the longest standing spectator. She attended for the first time as a small child in 1933 and this year her presence set the seal on her own 90th birthday celebrations. She was accompanied by husband Prince Philip and her son Prince Charles. Her daughter, the Princess Royal, competed 40 years ago this summer in the Olympic Games as an eventer. 

The Games in Braemar feature some 69 events in a day-long programme. They include familiar athletics track events all run on the grass, but with imperial measurements in yards favoured over the metric system.

Field events in the light category include "running long leap" (long jump) and running "high leap".

But the Games have become best known for the "heavy" events, in particular the tossing of the caber, always timed to conclude during the Royal visit. The regulations state that "to qualify for a prize, a toss must pass perpendicular". It is a measure of the strength of competitors that it sometimes takes five or six officials to return the caber to the launching point for the next competitor.

There is an international flavour, too, with competitors coming from as far as Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic. These included Lucasz Wenta, originally from Poland, who made his home in the Scottish town of East Kilbride, just so he could to take part in highland competitions on a more regular basis. The Games at Braemar have also inspired the establishment of similar competitions in the United States.

The events hark back to the origins of shot put and hammer with weights made from items that were regularly to hand rather than modern equipment. For these events the regulations insist: "All competitors must be dressed in Highland costume. This rule to be strictly enforced."

Tug of War was an integral part of the Olympic Games until 1920 but is still very much a part of these Games. It forms the annual championship for teams from the British Armed Forces.

The Braemar announcer is Robert Lovie. His might be a familiar voice to those who attended the 2014 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Glasgow. He had a special role that night at Celtic Park.

"It all came from the Braemar Gathering, because I do the national anthem every year for the arrival of the Queen," he said. "That is where they picked up the idea, the Queen being welcomed to the highlands in this very traditional Games - they wanted to take that down to the Commonwealth Games.

"It was just one of things in life that you never think you would be asked to do. The memory will never leave me - it was very special."

It is 60 years since a charming film Wee Geordie told the fictional tale of a hammer thrower from the Highland Games who makes it to the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, but Lovie believes the combination of sporting events now seen at the Braemar Gathering is helping fulfil the Olympic legacy.

"Its not only the great sportsmanship but the camaraderie, the highland feeling of the gathering that goes on here. It is about giving the opportunity, and then if they can take it on the world is their oyster," he said. "There’s a great pride in keeping the sports going and like the Olympics in keeping the young generations coming in behind."

The aims of the original Highland Society have not been forgotten either. When the River Dee flooded last year causing terrible damage in local villages, The Braemar Royal Highland Society gave £10,000 ($13,000/€12,000) towards helping the victims.