Friends making up for lost time as rules relaxed

Groups of pals reunited for the first time in months beneath glorious sunshine yesterday. Scots are now free to travel around the country for socialising, recreation and exercise.

And this weekend many took the opportunity to visit family and friends who they have not seen since Christmas.

Permission has also been granted for groups of six people from six households to meet outside.

In Inverness, small groups gathered in the sunshine to meet friends just hours after the rules were relaxed.

Friends Nicole Agnew and Emily Thomson met in Bught Park, with Miss Thomson’s one-year-old daughter Thea in tow.

Miss Agnew said: “I don’t live with many people so it is nice for me to get out and see other people again to catch up.

“We haven’t caught up in person since last year.

“We just wanted to see each other and we are not really that bothered about seeing lots of people just yet. We are just taking it slow for just now.

“The weather helps for sure.”

Miss Thomson said she was relieved for her daughter to be able to see other people.

She said: “It is a lot better than having to be by myself all day. It’s good for Thea to be able to socialise too.”

Miss Agnew added that she is looking forward to meeting up with family members thanks to the latest easing of restrictions.

She said: “There are quite a lot of us and we are all from so many households and we haven’t all got together at once so we are looking forward to meeting up. Hopefully the weather is nicer and we can have a barbecue.”

Beauty spots like Loch Morlich near Aviemore were busy as families sought to take in the best of the sunshine.

Dog walkers and paddleboarders descended on the area, but most were keeping themselves to themselves.

Ruth Legdon, Lynne Soulsby and Fiona Firth had brought a couple of picnic chairs to allow them to socially distance comfortably at Duthie Park in Aberdeen.

All retired teachers from Ferryhill School, they had been anticipating their get-together for a while.

Ms Soulsby said: “We last met up on my birthday, which is December 22, and we’ve only talked using WhatsApp since then.”

The government announcement on Monday came as a pleasant surprise to them all.

Ms Firth said: “We had an afternoon tea booked for a couple of weeks’ time when places were opening up, but then we realised we could all meet up today.”

The three friends all expressed their hope that the unscheduled relaxation signals what Ms Legdon called “the start of the new norm”.

Similar sentiments came from a group of four young friends enjoying a picnic by the park’s bandstand.

Sarah Wood, 23, Rebecca Brewer, 23, Ivy Gray, 20, and Michael McConnach, 24, were also meeting for the first time since December.

Lifeguard Miss Gray said: “It’s good, it feels like there’s finally some light at the end of the tunnel.

“It’s been a long time since we were able to meet up; there’s been a lot of Zoom calls.”

The announcement of a relaxation was particularly welcomed by the students, who have been denied social contact for a significant chunk of their final years at university.

Miss Brewer said: “It was nice to hear, especially because we’re graduating as well and a lot of the last year has been online.”

People looking to meet up outdoors this weekend are in luck with the north and north-east tipped for some of the UK’s top temperatures.

Forecasters expect Scotland to be the warmest part of Britain with Aviemore likely to register a high of 16C.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said “pretty much everywhere in Scotland” will enjoy sunny conditions.

Lily and Poppy Kerr from Inverness enjoy a fine time out on Loch Morlich yesterday.

BEAUTY SPOT: A car park in Glencoe started to fill up yesterday as Scotland’s Covid travel rules were eased. Picture by Sandy McCook.