The air was filled with a silence only felt when a nation experiences a major loss.
People have come from all over the country to the small village of Ballater to catch a bus up to Balmoral.
Queen Elizabeth II died at her Deeside home on Thursday and within hours people turned out to mourn her death.
Pipe Major James Cooper performing a lament for the Queen. pic.twitter.com/zIa19xkyWs
— Ross Hempseed (@Undercover_Ross) September 10, 2022
While queues lined up to take the short bus journey up to the estate today, Pipe Major James Cooper played the bagpipes which filled the air with music.
It seemed to lighten the mood which was, at times, still but always with an air of respect showing how loved the Queen was.
Picnics in the sun
One young boy loved the piping and joined in the action with a jig trying to replicate Irish river dancing.
The good weather brought out people to the village centre where they sat at picnic tables and benches as they enjoyed a bite to eat.
While the crowds waited to go to Balmoral there was hardly a sound other than children laughing as the played – a reminder to people that all is not lost.
Even though the country is in mourning, people dressed in summery outfits in coordination with the sunny weather.
Every so often the stillness through the village was interrupted as workmen started the lawnmower to tend to the grass outside Glenmuick Church.
Mourners browse shops after visiting Balmoral
Floral tributes to the Queen were laid out at a large stone commemorating the her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Once they came off the bus from Balmoral, most people wandered the village browsing the shops or joining the queue for ice cream.
Many people brought their four-legged friend with them, although it’s hard to believe dogs knew what was happening.
The influx of people to the small community meant cars were left parked in several places as hundreds of people walked up and down the streets.
The mood reflected the mood of the nation as it come to terms with the loss of a constant figure who guided the country through seven decades.
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