Tomorrow, the last Tuesday in January, is the day that Lerwick in the
Shetland Islands celebrates its annual '
Lerwick Up Helly Aa', when a large torchlit procession of over 800 people dressed in Viking costume, culminates in the burning of a replica galley. After the galley has been burnt, there follows a night of revelry and it is said that few reach home with a clear head, before 8.30am the next morning; Wednesday is sensibly a public holiday in Lenwick.
They know how to keep warm in those Scottish Isles, there are another eight, similar fire festivals in various districts of Shetland during the late winter.
Labels: Fire Festival, Lenwick, Scotland, Shetland
