Only two days after the stunning election victory of the SNP, a group of patriotic Scots gathered at Loudoun Hill in Ayrshire to honour our nation’s two greatest heroes, William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Both men had fought here against England’s tyrannical occupation of our country and it was fitting indeed that they should be remembered in this historic week. The Strathleven Artizans were proud to join forces with the Society of William Wallace for the first annual commemoration at Loudoun.

Against the magnificent backdrop of Loudon Hill we marched to the monument. There was a group re-enactment of Blind Harry’s tale of a young William Wallace laying into a group of English soldiers who tried to steal his catch of fish. Excellent speeches were made by Duncan Fenton of the Wallace Society, authoress Sarah Crome and our own Duncan Thomson, whose impressive oratorical skills just keep getting better. Duncan had also provided our new, gigantic Saltire, nobly borne by Bowman Frank. A large group of Bowmen and women included Duncan, Jim and Lynn, Chris, Frank and grandson Flynn, Liz, Kate and Mike, Arthur, Jeannette, Rachel and Elspeth.

We all look forward to taking part again at the Loudoun ceremony. This first year, coming as it did in the week that our old, free Scotland reasserted itself so strongly, had a special resonance. Long may it continue.

Elspeth Crocket.