MEET THE FLOCKERS
Family and friends take advantage of sunshine to reunite for the weekend
SCOTS flocked to the country’s beauty spots yesterday as they celebrated Freedom Friday with their families.
Many chose to meet up at beaches or lochs and for many, it was the first time they had seen each other in many months.
But in the main they stuck to the new rules and met outdoors only in groups of up to six.
The first major lockdown easing allows Scots to travel anywhere on the mainland – the first time since Christmas people have been allowed to move out of their own local authority areas.
They were also allowed to meet up outside in groups of six from up to six households.
It was expected the relaxation would not come into force until April 26 but a drop in coronavirus cases and a decrease in the numbers in hospital, coupled with a desire to boost people’s mental health and wellbeing, meant the new rules were accelerated.
As the guidelines were eased, it was revealed that a total of 2,722,084 people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination and 688,761 have received their second.
But although travel is unrestricted, Scots are not allowed to stay overnight anywhere other than in their own area – even pitching a tent in another local authority area remains banned.
Yesterday, wild swimmers braved the freezing waters of Loch Lomond, pairing their swimming costumes with woolly hats to keep out the cold.
Vivian and Allan Bogle and their children Hannah, eight, and Lewis, four, left their home in Uphall Station, West Lothian, at 4am so they could enjoy a fry-up breakfast in the Highlands in their recentlyconverted camper van. Vivian then went paddle boarding with Hannah on Loch Morlich, in Aviemore.
One of the very first on the move was First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who travelled from her Glasgow home to Ayrshire to visit her parents.
She admitted: “I’m really looking forward to seeing my mum and dad.
“It’s Christmas day, like so many people across the country, that was the last time I saw them in the flesh.”
She told Scots to “enjoy the reunions” but warned them to not take any unnecessary risks.
Sturgeon said: “People have waited a long time but please continue to be careful.”
And she said if everyone behaved, there was every reason to be optimistic the easing will be “the first of many to come.” Sturgeon wasn’t the only one Ayrshire bound.
In Troon, the beach was packed with visitors from around the country as Scots took advantage of the good weather.
And for one granny, the trip was particularly special.
Anne Fawcett, 67, from Airdrie and her husband Tom, 71, are in a family bubble with her daughter Carol Anne Lynn, 32, and her three daughters Jessica, five, Aria, three, and eight-month-old Rebecca so they saw each other every day.
But yesterday was the first time Anne and Tom had met their grandson, Nero, and his mum
Natalie for more than a year. Anne said: “It was really strange to see him again, to be able to talk to him face to face.
“It will take him a while to get back into the swing of things.”
Andrew McVie, 27, from Glasgow, was “super excited” to be visiting Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae for a day’s cycling for the first time in more than two years.
The clerical assistant said: “I try and go with a bike when I’m free on weekends and day trips.
“I’ve missed it so much not being able to go because of the travel restrictions.”
James Fraser, chairman of the Friends of Loch Lomond beamed: ”It is fantastic seeing people enjoying simple pleasures after so many months cooped-up at home.”
Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith gave people the go-ahead to use other household’s toilets when visiting their gardens so long as they took precautions.
But he said: “What we don’t want is people using that as an excuse to nip inside for cup of tea with people and sitting in unventilated areas.”