Highland bids farewell to the Baton Relay

The final day of the Queen's Baton Relay tour of the Highlands is Saturday 12 July.

At 8.30am the Provost of Inverness Councillor Alex Graham will be at Inverness Castle to send the baton on its way to Fort William with stops in Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus, Spean Bridge and Fort William where it will be officially handed over to Argyll and Bute Council.

After leaving Inverness Castle baton bearers will take the baton past Ness Bank Church, over Ness Bridge along past the Cathedral and around the Bught Park to arrive at Inverness Leisure for a 45 minute stop. Here the relay team will meet young people training at Queens Park and taking part in activities organised by Inverness Leisure.

The next stop as the convoy heads south along the A82 will be Drumnadrochit at 10.29am with 10 baton bearers ready to lead the relay through the village with a visit to Glenurquhart Shinty Club Park at 10.53am where a children’s shinty match will be underway. After an iconic photo at Urquhart Castle the convoy will continue on to Fort Augustus. After a lunch break the Baton will set off at 1pm from the village hall where children will be enjoying storytelling sessions and various activities and then be carried by 10 baton bearers to the outskirts of the village. After a media photo opportunity at the Commando Memorial the next stop will be at Spean Bridge where the first of 5 baton bearers will set off from the welcome sign at 1.40pm and the baton will make its way through the village.

The Baton’s final stop on its Highland journey will be Fort William. At 4.15pm it will be taken by 10 baton bearers from the train station across the Parade and up the High Street to the West End roundabout before following the A82 back to Lochaber Leisure Centre at 4.45pm. At the Leisure Centre High Life Highland will be running a triathlon activity day as part of its summer events programme and everyone taking part will be able to watch a short ceremony as Councillor Bren Gormley does the official handover to Argyll and Bute Council.

Drivers should be aware that temporary parking and stopping restrictions will be in place along the whole of the route before the relay arrives until it has passed and anyone using the A82 trunk road on Saturday 12 July is asked to allow extra time for their journey and be aware that traffic will be congested at times during the day.

ENDS