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St Andrew's Day - 30th November - has taken on new significance and is now being officially recognised across Scotland (and hopefully beyond!)

As part of the celebrations of Scotland's Patron Saint, the City of Inverness held a Torchlight procession from Inverness Castle to Northern Meeting Park where there would be a free open air concert.

The street is Castle Brae

Northern Constabulary Pipe Band was engaged to entertain the torchlight procession as it gathered, and then the Band would lead the procession through Invernes to the Park.

all this is part of the Inverness Winter Festival www.invernessfestivals.com/

Here the Band awaits the forming up the procession behind, and Drum Major Duncan Macdonald is in the procession of issuing the Command: "Pipes and Drums, by the right, quick march!"

Standard bearer (Band name board bearer) Melissa Fife listens and watches to make sure she steps off at the correct moment.

Boy, was it one cold night, and at this point it also began to rain - which in a way was good, as it meant it was not quite cold enough for snow!!!!!

Band, under Pipe Major Kenny Watson and Leading Drummer Fraser Thomson, comprised 7 pipers, 7 snare drummers (a record!), 4 tenor drummers, 1 bass drummers, plus of course Duncan and Melisaa - not forgetting yours truly (Band Secretary/Gopher) walking in front as liasion with the stewards (and also not forgetting Asst Band Sec and No. 2 Gopher Toni Hamilton who was following the procession in a van with all the logistical requirements).