Flipbook - TBF Autumn 2025 - Flipbook - Page 25
while ensuring the players can still see, hear,
and feel the thrill of victory.
The Conker
Championships: More
Than Just a Game
The World Conker Championships aren’t
just about the game; they’re a celebration of
community, charity, and spectacle.
Highland warrior. Some soak their conkers
in vinegar or bake them to harden,
den, though
traditionalists
ts argue that the best conkers
are those kissed only by
y the autumn air. A
hole is drilled through the conker,
er, a string
is threaded through, knotted to
o prevent it
from slipping off and the conker is ready for
combat.
The
he Rules of the Game
Two players stand, a metre apart
(40 inches), each holding a conker
dangling on a string. The aim? To
smash your opponent’s conker
er into
oblivion. Each player takes
es turns swinging
their conker at the other,, aiming for that
sweet, satisfying crack. If a conker completes
a full circle after being struck, it’s ‘round
the world’, granting another go. The game
continues until one conker lies shattered,
its spirit broken, while the victor’s conker
inherits the defeated’s score, plus one for
good measure.
Safety First, or Maybe
Second
Now, here’s where things get interesting. In
this modern age, where health and safety
reign supreme, playing conkers has taken on
a new look. Imagine kilted warriors - not with
swords, but full-face helmets, heavy-duty
gloves, and safety goggles, all for a game with
nuts. This gear might seem excessive, but it’s
all in the spirit of keeping the tradition alive
Over the years, this event has not only
entertained but also significantly contributed
to sight impairment charities, demonstrating
how a simple game can create profound
have witnessed
impacts. The championships ha
everything from
conker shortages due
fr
to adverse w
weather to the crowning of
proving that the
international champions, pr
conkers knows no borders.
love for conk
Scotland, and indeed the world,
Across Sc
conker championships draw
dr crowds, not
just for the game but for
f the spectacle.
Here, conkers
are selected with the
conk
scrutiny of
o a jeweller eyeing a diamond.
A Disclaimer
And now, a w
word of caution: If
you decide to engag
engage in this
ancient battle of conkers, do
so at your own risk. Helmets,
gloves, and goggles are
recommended, but remember,
no amount of safety gear can
protect against the sheer
embarrassment of losing to a
particularly hardy conker. So,
play on, but if you end up with
a black eye or a bruised ego,
don’t come crying to us. After
all, in the game of conkers, as
in life, sometimes you’re the
conker, and sometimes you’re
the nut.
The Banchory Fly |Autumn 2025 Page 25
