THOUSANDS of marchers are set to descend on the streets of Glasgow today to take part in dozens of Orange Walks.
Almost 4,000 people are expected to march through the city on Saturday afternoon as 50 parades get underway.
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The marches are part of the annual County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow Boyne celebration.
And today’s event will be the Orange Order’s biggest one of the year.
Each individual parade will start at a different point around the city, with each one heading towards the city centre.
But then four groups – from the north, west, east and south – will merge together at various points to form one large parade.
Once they have all come together, the procession will then head towards Glasgow Green.
Some of the smaller parades will start as early as 8.25am, with some individual lodges expected to start their celebrations in their own area before heading to the city centre.
While others will immediately start in the surrounding areas of the city centre – including Springburn, Maryhill, Whiteinch, Dalmarnock, Drumchapel and Ibrox.
The north group will be made up of around 750 marchers and will kick off their parade at Corn Street, Cowcaddens, at 10.30am.
From there, they will head along Garscube Road, then St George’s Road, Charing Cross, and Sauchiehall Street.
Marchers will then travel along Blythswood Street, Blythswood Square, and West George Street before joining the main parade at Hope Street.
The south group is set to be the largest, with around 1,500 people expected to join.
It will start at around 11.20am on Centre Street before heading along Commerce Street, King George V Bridge and Oswald Street before also merging at Hope Street.
Around 900 marchers will form the east group, which is set to meet at Brook Street at 10.10am before heading along London Road, Bain Street, Gallowgate, and Moir Street to Glasgow Cross.
From there, participants will travel along High Street, George Street, Montrose Street, and Cochrane Street before merging with the other groups at the Colour Party.
The west group is expected to have around 530 marchers who will all meet at 10.30am at Kelvin Way.
They will all then head along Sauchiehall Street, to Blythswood Street, Blythswood Square, before turning down West George Street.
They will also merge with the main parade at Hope Street.
This means that once all of the groups merge to form the main parade, it will head along West George Street, Nelson Mandela Place, West George Street, George Square North, and George Street.
It will then turn down High Street through Glasgow Cross and into Saltmarket and into Glasgow Green via the McLennan Arch.
After this, the parade will then head back the way it came before each group heads back to its original meeting points.
Orange Walk in Hamilton
GLASGOW isn’t the only location that will see numerous streets closed due to an Orange Walk today.
An estimated 6,500 marchers are set to descend on Hamilton in South Lanarkshire for a huge parade organised by the County Grand Lodge of Central Scotland.
It is due to kick off at 1pm this afternoon, sparking major road chaos across the area.
The procession will snake its way from Meikle Earnock Park to Beckford Street, with roads along the route facing closures and traffic misery.
Cops will be out in force to manage the parade, while South Lanarkshire Council has warned drivers to expect serious disruption between 1pm and 3.30pm and are advising people to use alternative routes.
Coaches could clog up Swisscot Avenue as participants get dropped off before the march begins.
Meanwhile, Almada Street and Beckford Street will be shut during the event, adding to the traffic turmoil.
It is set to travel the following route:
- Meikle Earnock Park
- Neilsland Drive
- Meikle Earnock Road
- Annsfield Road
- Strathaven Road
- Low Waters Road
- Portland Place
- Gateside Street
- Quarry Street
- Brandon Street
- Leechlee Road
- Cadzow Street
- Muir Street
- Almada Street
- Beckford Street
Many of the groups will then have their own celebrations in their local Orange halls in the early evening.
But as a result of the huge parade, Glasgow City Council has warned that there will be a number of road closures and parking restrictions in place.
The local authority has revealed that almost 50 roads will be locked down across the city.
Drivers will not be able to access the roads between 4am/5am and 4pm.
Motorists have been urged to use alternative routes to get around the city or avoid the areas.
Officials have released the full list of closures, which will be managed by Police Scotland.
The following roads will be closed between 5am and 4pm on July 5:
- Albion Street – between George Street and Blackfriars Street
- Anchor Lane – for its full length
- Bell Street – between Albion Street and Watson Street.
- Bridgegate – between King Street and Saltmarket
- Cochrane Street – for its full length
- College Street – at its junction with High Street
- Duke Street – between John Knox Street and George Street
- Dundas Street – for its full length
- Gallowgate – between Trongate and Watson Street
- George Square – (all sides) for its full length
- George Street – for its full length
- Greendyke Street – for its full length
- High Street – for its full length
- Ingram Street – between Albion Street and High Street
- Ingram Street – between Queen Street and Glassford Street
- King Street – (southbound only), between Bridgegate and Osbourne Street
- London Road – between James Morrison Street and Saltmarket
- Montrose Street – between Richmond Street and Ingram Street (access to car park remains open)
- Nelson Mandela Place – for its full length
- Nelson Street – between Bridge Street and Commerce Street
- North Hanover Street – between Cathedral Street and George Square
- North Portland – Street between Richmond Street and George Street
- Parsonage Row – at its junction with High Street
- Saltmarket – for its full length
- Shuttle Street – for its full length
- St Andrews Street – for its full length
- Trongate – between Albion Street and High Street
- West George Street – between West Nile Street and George Square
Read more on the Scottish Sun
The following roads will be closed between 4am and 4pm on July 5:
- Cathedral Square – 50m on either side of the Evangelical Church
- Castle Street – between Cathedral Square and High Street
- Cochrane Street – for its full length
- Dundas Street – for its full length
- George Square – (all sides) for its full length
- George Street – for its full length
- Greendyke Street – between Turnbull Street and Saltmarket
- High Street – for its full length
- Ingram Street – between High Street and Albion Street
- John Street – for its full length
- London Road – between James Morrison Street and Saltmarket
- Martha Street – for its whole length
- Montrose Street – between Richmond Street and Ingram Street (access to car park remains open)
- Nelson Street – between Bridge Street and Commerce Street
- North Hanover Street – between Cathedral Street and George Square
- Saltmarket – for its full length