Today yet again saw people come from all over Scotland and beyond to shout loudly in Glasgow what they believe; “Scotland’s Voice Must Be Heard”. The emergency March today was called after December’s election result in Scotland.

Ken and I set off early from my parents house to go and take part in today’s march and capture some of the day for folks back in Orkney. We joined the bus along with many others and I was intrigued by a difference in atmosphere; there was a quiet buzz, a zing, as though the people knew that something had changed.

After a breakdown on the M8 we arrived over an hour late, just in time for the end of the March getting started;  which in itself made all of us realise the enormity of the day. After all,  it is January in Scotland and the heavens appeared to be crying the tears of the World upon us, and yet already we could envisage the scores and scores of people that had started well over an hour before us.

All along the route over the next two hours and during torrential rain; people lined the pavements shouting words of encouragement, clapping, cheering, even singing and dancing, it really was quite the sight to behold. There was even the most typical of Scottish humour on show, a man sunbathing……in January……in the pouring rain…..you’ve just got to love  Scotland.

Toward the end of the March I asked a policeman for a guesstimate on numbers, he said “conservatively upwards of 70k”. As of yet I don’t have an official figure but considering the amounts of trains, buses and ferries that were cancelled due to the horrendous weather 70k is one heck of a guesstimate.

As I heard asked this morning more than once could it be  “The Times They are A Changing”.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.