Cowal before it was the defended medieval homestead of the MacEwens; at first there was a palisaded enclosure, and then a promontory fort with a timber rampart. The remote areas in the north east of Cowal, which were theoretically under the dominion of Clan Lamont, were used by Scottish kings for hunting; indeed, Cowal was the last part of Britain to have wild boar. When King John Balliol was threatened by his rival, Robert de Bruys, Balliol's ally, the king of England, established Henry Percy at Carrick Castle, in the region; likewise Dunoon Castle further south. De Bruys expelled the English
Scottish highland dance and then further training and testing to become a dancer examiner then competition judge or adjudicator. Many if not most Highland gatherings worldwide recognise the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (SOBHD), formed in 1950, as the world governing body of Highland dancing. The SOBHD standardised dance steps for competition purposes, established rules for competitions and attire, and certifies competitions and instructors. The SOBHD World Highland Dance Championship has been held annually at the Cowal Highland Gathering since 1934. Today this SOBHD World Championship is sanctioned by the SOBHD at three levels: Juvenile, Junior and Adult. However due to SOBHD