Three Highland communities gave a rousing welcome to the Queen’s Baton Relay as the procession heads north once again.
The baton spent a day in Ross-shire, Sutherland and Caithness today.
It’s first engagement was in Ullapool this morning after being brought back to the mainland by ferry from the Western Isles.
And it finished the day heading for the sea again – this time heading from Thurso in readiness for crossing to Orkney.
Huge crowds turned out in the sunshine at Lairg as the Baton made it’s way towards Caithness.
The relay was given a warm welcome back to the mainland in Ullapool where it was greeted off the Stornoway ferry by Janet Bowen, the Lord Lieutenant for Ross and Cromarty.
Burma War veterans Donald McKenzie and Peter Ross were given the chance to hold the baton before it moved on.
A community choir – dubbed Three Sheets to the Wind – entertained the audience at the town’s Macphail Centre as the procession made its way through, with popular hits, including The Beatles song Hey Jude.
Music was the theme ahead of the baton’s arrival in Lairg, with the Kilbreck Band, winners of the junior competition at the Lairg Music Festival, entertaining the gathering crowds ahead of the convoy’s arrival in the sunshine.
On leaving Lairg the baton made a short detour to the MacDonald Memorial Cairn at Rogart before heading north to Thurso.
The cairn marks the homestead of the family of John MacDonald, the first Premier of Canada – one of the Commonwealth countries Highland is linked with for the games.
The final stop for yesterday’s procession was in Thurso, where 1986 Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles runner Moira McBeath was the first to carry the baton.
The baton was greeted into the Caithness town by a large crowd of youngsters who had been taking part in a day of sporting events at Millbank playing field.
Yesterday’s action was just one of the stages in a tour that will cover more than 400 Scottish communities before the 2014 Commonwealth Games begin in Glasgow on July 23.