January nights in Shetland are long, dark and enchanting. The aurora borealis dances in the sky, while the locals bring their own warmth with Up Helly Aa.
Shetlanders call them the “merry dancers” – wavering curtains of pale-green and white light that shimmer over the horizon on up to 100 nights a year. On these distant islands, the Northern Lights can be truly spectacular, with little light pollution to interfere with one of the most magical phenomena in the night sky.
Far from Scotland’s shores, Shetland is home to proud descendants of Viking seafarers. Perhaps the most potent symbol of this heritage is an annual event that takes place on the last Tuesday in January.
On this night, the streets of the capital, Lerwick, are lit by the flames of torches brandished by islanders in the fearsome garb of their Viking forebears. This is Up Helly Aa, perhaps the largest fire festival in Europe, and the climax of a year of planning and preparation that involves almost everyone in Lerwick.
At the head of a procession of almost 1,000 torch-bearers, the leader, known as Guizer Jarl, stands at the prow of his or her Viking longship – the galley. The ship is dragged through Lerwick, and finally meets a fiery end as hundreds of torches are hurled into its wooden hull to create a mighty bonfire.
Only after the ship is well ablaze do the festivities really start. Revellers are welcomed into homes and halls throughout Lerwick, and a night of music, dancing and drinking gathers pace, with the last stragglers struggling home just in time for breakfast.
Planning your trip
There are regular flights to Shetland from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen, plus services (one–two weekly) from Manchester and London City. Ferries run from Aberdeen. Strong winds and sleet or rain are likely in winter. In January there are fewer than six hours of light a day. Average temperature is 6°C.
Far from Scotland’s shores, Shetland is home to proud descendants of Viking seafarers. Perhaps the most potent symbol of this heritage is an annual event that takes place on the last Tuesday in January.
On this night, the streets of the capital, Lerwick, are lit by the flames of torches brandished by islanders in the fearsome garb of their Viking forebears. This is Up Helly Aa, perhaps the largest fire festival in Europe, and the climax of a year of planning and preparation that involves almost everyone in Lerwick.
At the head of a procession of almost 1,000 torch-bearers, the leader, known as Guizer Jarl, stands at the prow of his or her Viking longship – the galley. The ship is dragged through Lerwick, and finally meets a fiery end as hundreds of torches are hurled into its wooden hull to create a mighty bonfire.
Only after the ship is well ablaze do the festivities really start. Revellers are welcomed into homes and halls throughout Lerwick, and a night of music, dancing and drinking gathers pace, with the last stragglers struggling home just in time for breakfast.
Planning your trip
There are regular flights to Shetland from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen, plus services (one–two weekly) from Manchester and London City. Ferries run from Aberdeen. Strong winds and sleet or rain are likely in winter. In January there are fewer than six hours of light a day. Average temperature is 6°C.