London 2012 Olympic torch taking the scenic route to the Highlands

Olympic flame: STV News and Scotland Tonight presenter John MacKay with the torch, which he carried on Friday.

The Olympic torch is taking the scenic route to the Highlands as it passes Loch Lomond and Loch Ness.

The flame is being carried 169 miles by 92 torchbearers from Glasgow to Inverness on Saturday, the second leg of its eight-day tour of the country.

The first torchbearer of the day was 16-year-old Emma Baird who was nominated for her determination in overcoming health problems to play sport.

Despite suffering Upper Femoral Epiphysis and spending time in a wheelchair she is now part of her school football team.

Emma passed the flame to veteran Olympian Hamish Hardie MBE who competed as a yachtsman in the 1948 London Olympics.

Mr Hardie, who is currently the vice-chair of the Clyde Maritime Trust, took the flame on board the restored Glenlee Tall Ship on the River Clyde.

He said: "It is a great pleasure and honour to welcome the Olympic Torch on board Glasgow's ship Glenlee. It is the only Clyde-built sailing ship still afloat in Great Britain and was built in 1896 - the same year that the first Olympic Games were organised by the International Olympic Committee."

The torch is being carried through Luss, Tarbet and Crianlarich on the banks of Loch Lomond before touring the Highlands.

The flame will travel across Loch Ness by boat from Fort Augustus to Drumnadrochit and visit the weekend RockNess music festival at Dores.

Soul-pop star Emeli Sande will carry the torch during the relay as well as perform at a torch celebration concert for the second night in a row.

Ms Sande will join dance acts and local performers at the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness, following her performance in Glasgow last night.

The Brits' Critics' Choice winner said: "I think that's going to be a really special moment. It's a real honour to get to do that. I wasn't expecting it. I can't wait.

"I don't think within my lifetime we're going to be able to do this again, have the Olympics in my country, so it's definitely something I'll look back on and it will always be a fond memory."

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