Residents and tourists have braved chilly temperatures to catch up with friends at bars and restaurants across Inverness.
The May Day bank holiday weekend, traditionally a busy time for hospitality venues, has coincided with the easing of Covid restrictions in Scotland.
Beer gardens near me: Interactive map shows pubs reopening across the Highlands and Moray
And despite temperatures not even reaching double-digits, people were still out in force across the city.
Jennifer Johnstone was joined by parents Ann and Jim for lunch in Inverness’s La Tortilla restaurant.
Miss Johnstone said: “I’m really only out here because my parents are visiting and I haven’t seen them in nine months.
“But it’s really great to get out and see other people around the place. It’s getting a buzz about it again.”
Mr Johnstone said: “Everywhere has been quite insistent on the track and trace, so it is feeling really very safe.”
Mrs Johnstone continued: “I wasn’t sure how I would feel to be honest, just because we haven’t been out in such a long time.
“But we’ve had both vaccinations so we’re probably feeling slightly more confident than we would have otherwise.”
Meaghan Cairny and Charles Banon travelled from Glasgow to visit friends in the Highland capital.
The group were enjoying the brief interlude of sunshine and their drinks despite the chilly temperature in the outdoor seating area of the Castle Tavern.
Ms Cairny said: “We’re up for the weekend visiting friends and it’s been really good.
“Although we probably should have booked places in advance as it’s proving hard to get into a table at the moment.
“We’ve managed so far and the safety measures have been excellent.”
Mr Banon added: “The weather has been great. We booked this to coincide with lockdown easing so it’s been really great.”
Also in the popular Castle Tavern Graeme, Nicola and Kieran Anderson travelled from Merkinch in Fife to Inverness to catch up with friend David Baker on the May Day holiday weekend.
Mr Anderson said: “We booked this months ago, hoping it would all be ok.
“We were here just before last lockdown and it was the first place we wanted to come back to.
“Absolutely no problems whatsoever being here because all the pubs are playing the game with track and trace.
“Everyone is sticking to the rules.”
Mrs Anderson added: “The weather hasn’t worried us at all. We’ve got umbrellas, hats, gloves, the lot.”
What are the rules for bars and restaurants?
In Level 3 the “rule of six” applies to those venues operating outdoors with up to six people from six households allowed to frequent businesses under one booking. However, one-metre social distancing must still take place, which has forced many owners to only allow four people from different households so they can socially distance at their tables.
Meanwhile, indoors, hospitality will welcome up to six individuals from two households.
