Up Helly Aa

The big day dawns!


Up at the crack of dawn to go meet the Vikings for Breakfast, across the road, before watching them set off down the street for the start for the parade.

Dressed in impressive winged helmets and crimson cloaks over leather jerkins, they carried mock battleaxes and knives polished to a high sheen.


The galley’s name this year is Is Bjørn means Ice Bear and it certainly felt icy as the Jarl led his band of shouting warriors through the town’s streets.



Spent a few hours wandering around the town, and went to see the Shetland museum.

Which is an amazing museum. It’s so well presented, and offers a rich insight into island life, and how it has developed from the beginning to it’s present day.

There was so much to see, from textiles, and boats to archaeological artefacts.

I’m always impressed at how much care and detail they put into preserving their history over here.

Headed down to see the “Fiery Sessions”, a celebration of Shetland folk music performed by some extremely talented locals..


Before having a quick fish supper, and heading out to get front row positions to witness the
Junior Jarl being burnt (which is the youngster’s version of the full blown affair.)



The whole reason we’ve come up here is for the bizarre event known as Up Helly Aa, a Viking fire festival, held on the last Tuesday in January in Lerwick each year.
It’s safe to say the town of Lerwick goes more than a little mad.

For the festival, the town’s men grow beards and dress as savage Vikings for a torch-lit parade through the streets in the early evening.


It’s definitely a spectacle, with 2000-odd participants in fancy dress backed up by bagpipes and marching bands playing stirring renditions of local songs.

As they snake their way through the town in a river of fire, dragging with them the life-size replica Viking galley on wheels.

The climax came as they arrive at the burning site.

The galley was then drawn to the centre and the torch-bearers circled it surrounding it in flames.

Then, at a signal fanfare, they all rushed forward to throw their torches into the belly of the ship.


And up in flames it went!

It's a tradition dating back to 3000 years ago when a Viking king died and his body was placed in a longship and set alight.


After that we ended up at the Grand Hotel, for a 24-hour whisky-fuelled party where the different squads from the parade came and performed skits, songs and shows throughout the evening and into the early hours of the morning. It had to be seen to be believed...

It eclipses Christmas and New Year’s Eve as the biggest day on the calendar for the Shetland Islands.